Wild Flowers
by Zecilys
Summary: Just another useless person in the world, that is, until her master found her. Where does she find comfort when her beloved master passes away, and she's left in a cold, cruel world, where she doesn't know who to trust. First story ever. Allenxoc OcxAllen
1. Notice

I'm very sorry to say that this story is now on permanent/indefinite hiatus. I started it back in early middle school, and now I find that my work load does not allow me to work on it.

I apologize to my readers.

For those that still follow this story I have condensed the original 29 chapters into 4 bite sized (10-20k word) parts for your reading enjoyment. If time allows, I may rewrite parts of this story, but it looks unlikely for now.

Sincerely,

-Z. (formerly known as 'Siv')


	2. Part 1

Yuuki stumbled over the short brush of Barcelona, at her short stature, her master, and the finders called her "short stack." Then again, it had been a long time since she had been around normal people whom she familiarized with, so maybe she wasn't a short stack, maybe just a 'shorty,' not that it was much better.

The day was particularly rainy; many ominous rain clouds obscured the sun, and the faint howl of the wind droned on and on through the streets leading to the Sagrada Familia. Its glowing towers acted a beacon to the city; anyone could follow the light, and find themselves in the center of town. This was exactly where Yuuki had hoped to end up. The inn where she and her master stayed was relatively close to the church, though it was ironic that the inn was called the Dark Omen Inn, a surprisingly dark name for something so close to one of the largest religious offices of the time.

Yuuki's black hair hung in a thick, sopping wet sheet by the time the inn's colossal sign came into view, the thirteen gothic style, illuminated letters stood out against the white wood of the sign. Her master stood next to the entrance, tapping his foot patiently.

Master Yeeger was a tall old man of perhaps seventy or eighty, he had always told her that age played no difference in his hunt for Akuma. When he had first taken her in at the tender age of six, she had playfully dubbed him Grampa Time, for his long white moustache hung to his neckline. Of course, his Grampa-like atmosphere prevented him from the least bit of the irking nickname. To get his revenge, he had dubbed her 'short stack.'

Really, she had no idea of what her real name was, Yeeger had told her once that he had found her lying in an abandoned church, with a horrendous blizzard raging outside. She awoke with no memories, only faint flashes here and there. The strangest part, on her back, there were two large markings in the shape of wings. In her arms, she held a small jewel, seemingly like on that would be found on a pendant or choker. A fragment of innocence resided in the charm, he could tell, Akuma had swarmed the church, attempting to kill her. He decided he would take her in, and possibly bring her to the Black Order. So, after getting tired of referring to the girl as 'miss' or 'young one' he decided to name her Yuuki, meaning 'pure one' in Japanese, a fitting name for a young exorcist.

_8 years ago_

_The blizzard raged uncontrollably outside. His old bones screamed in defiance, so finally, he stopped walking with his finders when he spotted an old church sitting on an out cropping of rock overlooking the sea. He turned and shouted back to his finders, telling them to get in to the church. He stepped up the worn staircase; the wood of the finely carved door was the deep reddish brown of rosewood. Even the time had worn the door; the carvings were still as intricate as they had been carved, maybe some twenty years ago. The cold wind bit at his cheeks, and the finders weren't much more comfortable. The snow falling from the depressed sky dyed the landscape a startling white. Trees stuck out from the landscape like a sore thumb. Using a bit of strength, the door slid open, and each finder slipped in, then along with himself. He turned to shut the door when an exasperated remark caught his attention. "Oh, god." One of the finders, Hahn, murmured. Yeeger turned his attention to their stare. It led to a large alter sitting against the stain glass windows. Its startling gold decorations were amazing, done with an unimaginable amount of skill. On the floor, lying on sprawled out on the white cloth was a girl._

_She was very small, no more than five or six. She had long black hair in the dim light, her skin was very pale, like that of a ghost or saint. She appeared to have just fallen out of a battle scene, even though days worth of dust had already collected on her, her wounds appeared fresh. _

"_Oh my god." The Hahn lamented again. She shook his head sadly "Why is it always the children?"_

_The finders and Yeeger approached the body, it had leaked an enormous amount of blood onto the white moth-bitten cloth. But, the delicate rising and falling of her chest told him she wasn't dead. She was alive._

Her old Grampa Master smiled, emphasizing his crow's feet.

"Took you long enough." He remarked, "Did you find what you needed?"

"Yes Grampa." She exclaimed, happily skipping to her master's side. She held out a bag of ingredients. "There a lot of good deals at the morning market." He peered into the bag; in it were ripe Roma tomatoes, fresh from the vine, seasoning salt, and something rare in that time of year.

"Where on Earth did you find a vendor that sells cherries in May?" He asked, he, being an avid cook never though he'd see cherries that were that blood red in May. Yuuki tilted her head, and inclined it toward the east side of town.

"There was a vendor selling them for six notes a pound. But, he said, for a cute girl like me, he could drop the price to four notes, so I though I'd buy some."

Yeeger smiled, he waved for Yuuki to follow him into the inn.

Jerry beckoned the next person in line to the window. Not so much to his surprise, it was Allen Walker, his favorite little exorcist, with a black hole for a stomach.

"What're you going to have today Allen?" He said with a smile. The white haired boy yawned and stretched. He looked tired, must've just gotten back from a mission.

"I'll have some tomato soup with some corn bread, 30 mitarashi dango, fried rice, carpacchio some roasted pork, smoked salmon, a bowl of basil ravioli, some milk, and four sunny side up eggs with extra salt!" Allen beamed at the cook, seemingly the only person who didn't find his huge appetite disgusting or strange.

In record time, Jerry prepared his food, and set it at the counter. With tremendous skill, Allen picked up the tower of plates, and started toward his normal seat next to Lenalee and Lavi. They glanced at him, but his irregular appetite was already old news. In the 3 short weeks he had been at the Black Religious Order, he had already visited Mater, collected a piece of innocence, and saved a town caught in a single day in time due to a woman named Miranda Lotto.

After finishing his meal, he continued to the training floor to squeeze in some early morning training. At that moment, a huffing and puffing member of the staff ran toward him, and skidded to a stop.

"Mr. Walker, you have a mission, report to Komui's office!"

Hope you liked it! Please review!

Thank you so much for reviewing Glon Morski, Wind in your Whiskers, 0Infinity0, and Yuna. Thank you so much for your support, I'll try not to let you down! I also put some major editing into the first chapter, so you may want to re-read it.

Glon Morski: Thanks for the tip! I'll fix it ASAP. And yes, I'll try to follow the anime and manga. :)

Wind in Your Whiskers: I will try to make Yuuki to your liking, and hopefully, not into a mary-sue ( I hate them too) And its okay, I'm extremely random at times as well. :)

0Infinity0: Thank you for taking the time to review, I will try to make Yuuki strong, but not insanely. :)

Yuna: Thanks, I'm glad you like the story. :)

Disclaimer: I only own Yuuki, that's it.

After eating, Yuuki placed the dirty plates in the sink.

"Grampa," She placed the plate she was washing on the bottom of the sink. "Why don't we go berry picking tomorrow?" She turned and smiled.

After the assumed death of her real family, he had taken the role of being her grampa, related by blood or not. The finders all sighed, with the tone she took sometimes, they could never tell if she was killing Akuma, or just asking something simple, like _berry picking. _When they looked over to General, he was smiling again, his trademark crow's feet appearing. They couldn't tell if he was smiling under his huge moustache.

"Why not, I hear that the cream from Barcelona this time of year is perfect to make cakes."

The student and master turned, and smiled at each other.

Yuuki began scrubbing the dishes with newfound enthusiasm. Soon after she finished, leapt out the door, and went out to search for a patch.

"Children these days." He murmured, smiling to himself. Watching as Yuuki's black curtain of hair vanished from beyond the door frame.

Yuuki's practically flew down the street, she was careful to avoid the many potholes that the citizens of Barcelona seemed keen on ignoring. Suddenly, screams drew her attention the market.

"Akuma." She muttered under her breath. "Just great! On my day off too!" Yuuki muttered, and throwing her hands up, exasperated with the situation. Sighing, she changed routes and started toward the market in a dead run.

When Yuuki finally covered the half-mile to the marketplace, it was already littered with the black ashes of the Akuma's victims. She walked toward the center of chaos, and bid silent condolences to the deceased. Finally, she came upon a giant level two that had taken the shape of a jester with a sadistic smile on its face. The very sight brought bile to her lips. He held two children two children, one in each of his claw-like hands. Their mauled bodies were dripping blood, and they were pretty close to death. All around the Akuma were the scattered bodies of various dying people, crying for help, and begging for mercy. Yuuki began shaking with anger. A glowing circle appeared around her, and barrage of orbs appeared above her head. They each had a silver middle, and were surrounded by a luminous sheen of blue-green.

The Akuma dropped the children, and to her dismay, they landed with a thud, she would just have to hope they were okay, first the Akuma needed to go. She sent of few of the orbs hurtling toward the jester, but he nimbly dodged to his left. Yuuki sent three more orbs to his left side, but to her surprise, his long claw had extended, and was now squeezing her torso, obviously is was black mailing her.

"If I go, I'll take you with me." He screeched. The orbs stopped in mid-air, inches from the Akuma's mask.

Yuuki smiled softly.

"Alright," She murmured. He tightened his grip considerably and she felt something in her chest crack, probably a rib or two. She flinched just a bit, in that span of time; the demon shot forward, and slammed her into a wall. Warm blood began running down her arms. Still, she couldn't move, her arms were pinned to her sides, already; her arms were losing all their feeling as if broken. Struggling, she inclined her head to tell her orbs to rend the jester in two, when she saw that in the other hand, it now once again held a small child, no more than four or five. The little boy was crying. Yuuki's eyes widened, she couldn't risk it

"Please Save-!" The boy shouted, but was cut off when the Akuma cut off his air supply, he fell into the arms of unconsciousness.

This convinced Yuuki to make her decision. One of the orbs took her appearance.

"Hey you! Ugly! Look over here!" The Doppelganger shouted.

"What?" The monster exclaimed. "How did you-"

Yuuki cut him off by sending an orb hurtling into the arms that he held her, and the child. With a loud explosion, the arms snapped off at the shoulder. Using the momentum of falling, she managed to fly forward and catch the small boy in her arms. She landed on the roof of one of the market stalls.

"You… you scum!" The Jester Akuma shrieked. "You took my arms I'm going to rip you limb from limb."

Yuuki put on an apathetic face. "Good luck with that… Goodbye, Akuma." With that the orbs all hurtled into the Akuma's back, making him explode. She clutched the boy close to make sure he escaped the majority of the damage.

After the dust cleared, she saw a green glow emitting from amongst the dust from the explosion. A cog of innocence glowed, as if happy she had found it. She heard the grinding of wheels.

In an instant, Marshall Yeeger was below her, under the stall.

"Yuuki! Are you alright?" He asked worriedly. Yuuki nodded softly, she hopped down from the stall. The boy was still unconscious. All around, the shaken survivors were trying to stand, thanking her for saving them. She waved off the storm of praise. The boy was also coming around.

"What's your name?" She asked gently. The boy was blinking rapidly as if checking if she was really there.

"Re-Reyson." He mumbled. He was awake now; he had curly copper colored hair, and grey eyes.

"Well then, Reyson. You're lucky to be alive and well." Yuuki smiled at the startled boy.

"You'll be going to Romania." Komui said to Allen, who was sitting on red colored couch. "We've had reports of General Cross being sighted there. And since we can't contact him. You leave first thing tomorrow morning."

~Few Days Later~

Allen stepped off the train. The town that lay before him was gloomy; there was only one person on the streets.

"Excuse me!" He shouted to the man with the cart.

"Oh, this is unusual, we don't get many visitors to this town." He remarked happily.

"Nice to meet you, my name is Allen Walker." Allen replied. Immediately, the man stiffened and ran back into the town, leaving his cart behind. In a few moments, he saw a mob of people coming toward him with pitchforks and sticks. The next thing he knew, he awoke tied to a chair with twenty or so people surrounding him. The man he saw before was the mayor, and he told Allen of a vampire that was terrorizing the citizens. Then they all fell to their knees. Allen sighed, and went to his suitcase to show them a picture of General Cross.

"Do you know him?" He asked. The mayor's eyes widened, and then hugged Allen, much to his surprise.

"No mistake! You are the clergyman we've been waiting for!" He cried.

~That Night~

That night, Allen awoke to many townspeople, who his eye told, were really Akuma, attacking him. He leapt onto the deserted street. Only to find a certain eye patched, red haired exorcist standing there. "We'll back you up!" He exclaimed.

Thanks for reading, please read and review!

PS Would it be okay if I just put one tiny little mary-sue attribute on Yuuki?

Thank you so much for reviewing Glon Morski, Wind in your Whiskers, Allen~lvr, and Yuna. Thank you so much for your support, I'll try not to let you down!

Allen~lvr: Thanks, I'm sure Allen will appear in the next 4 or so chapters, sorry I kinda have to introduce Yuuki a bit more before I bring Allen into the story. :)

Glon Morski: Thanks, I'll probably use Yuna's idea, and skip Allen's side altogether. And, I might also rearrange some of the events, because I want Yuuki to be there for most of the important story happenings. :)

Yuna: Thanks for the tip! :)

Wind in your whiskers: Around 8 years, she's fourteen. And I was holding back on vocab cause my friend said digging through the dictionary all the time was annoying, but I'll be sure and add more big words.

Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man

Yeeger stared at the dormant form of his student. According to the Barcelona's doctor, she had broken a rib, and fractured one of her arms. Even though the incident had been only five hours ago, Yuuki's room was filled to the brim with well-wishing cards, bouquets of assorted flowers, and even a bowl of chicken noodle soup from the Reyson's mother. She had been in Yuuki's room, bustling about, making sure ever speck of dust was out of the room, and that Yuuki was snug as a bug in a rug. There had been an abundance of town's people visiting the unconscious student, who was worse for wear.

"Gr-gram-Grampa?" He heard a weak voice whisper, breaking him from his train of thought.

"Ah, Yuuki, its nice to see you awake. You've had me worried." Yeeger stated, a wave of relief washed over him.

Yuuki rubbed her head absentmindedly, "What happened to boy, and the-" She sat up quickly, a wave of nausea rolled over her.

"What happened to the innocence?" She exclaimed, "And-and the boy, is he alright?" Yeeger gently pushed Yuuki back amongst the mass of pillows on her bed.

"The boy is fine, why his mother was just here, vacating your room of every single dust particle."

Yuuki attempted to chuckle, but it ended up as a coughing fit.

"And the innocence," He reached into his coat. "Is right here." He pulled out the faintly glowing orb.

Yuuki sighed, amelioration rushed through her veins as her mood improved. Yeeger leaned over, and held the bowl of soup before her.

"You haven't eaten since lunch, and that was six hours ago." He prodded the bowl toward her. "Eat…now." He said firmly.

"But…" She started to retort, but seeing the stern expression on her master's face, she decided to just do as she was told. She reached for the bowl, but found she was surprisingly weak. Her fingers were numb, and shaking. Noticing this, Yeeger held the bowl away for her, and scooped some onto a spoon.

"Open wide! Here comes the bug!" It was a joke he had used when she was a child to eat medicine. The two broke out laughing.

_Seven Years Ago_

_Seven-year-old Yuuki stubbornly stuck out her tongue. She had a cold from trying to follow her master to the market in the middle of a snowstorm, now, she was confined to bed with a high fever, and atrocious coughing fits. _

"_I don't want it! It tastes bad!" Yuuki exclaimed, she doubted even her Grampa himself would drink it, who willing drank something that was brown and goopy?_

_Yeeger sighed; his apprentice was making the situation very difficult. The doctor had strictly assigned her to drink two tablespoons of the brown liquid ever night until her coughing fits stopped. _

"_Let me try." Said Hahn, one of his finders, the only surviving one from when he found Yuuki._

"_Bzzzz!" Hahn buzzed, for a second Yeeger thought he was choking, but then he continued. "Here comes the bug! Swallow it up!" He said, making the spoon travel toward her pouting mouth. Surprisingly, she opened up, allowing Hahn to dump the foul smelling medicine down her throat. He then handed the spoon back to Yeeger._

"_You try." He said curtly, smiling knowingly._

_Yeeger repeated what Hahn did to the best of his ability, and within minutes, the next spoon of medicine went down Yuuki's throat. She was grinning now, she hugged him,_

"_Thank you Grampa!" She announced in a zealous tone. Yeeger smiled and patted his granddaughter's back._

"_You're very welcome."_

"You know, it's really embarrassing when you do that, I'm fourteen, not seven!" She said indignantly.

Yeeger sighed, and spoon-fed her the rest of the soup. There was a knock on the door, and the doctor came in.

"Well, young lady, I see you're doing much better." He checked her ribs, and then her arms.

"You should be fine, just stay off that arm for a few weeks, and get plenty of rest, alright?" Then, he turned to Yeeger, "You're her grandfather correct?

"Yes." Yeeger replied. He had long since gotten used to people thinking that, even Yuuki herself.

"Well, here's the medicine for her wounds, make sure to dab some on the cuts every night, and they should heal up without any complications." He smiled warmly. "Stay out of trouble young lady." With that he left.

"Yuuki, you heard the doctor, get to sleep. I'll see you in the morning." Yeeger declared, he stood slowly, and reached for the doorknob.

"Goodnight Yuuki." He said, but she was already asleep.

Thank you to Glon Morski, Allen~lvr, and Yuna for reviewing! :)

Glon Morski: Yeah, sorry about the shortness, I've been spending the weekend with my family going to parties and stuff, so I haven't had much time to write. Sorry, I'll try to make a long one something next week. But this one is slightly longer, I hope you enjoy, and I hope the "I'll kill you" part was a joke. Haha.

Yuna: Thanks for the review, and yes, Yuuki was very cute as a kid. :)

Allen~lvr: Sorry, I have the whole story planned out, but that's after Yuuki meets Allen, so I'm just trying to stall until that part. Anyway, here's another chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man,

Krory was softly sobbing in the front seat of the horse drawn carriage.

"Cheer up Crow!" Lavi exclaimed, trying to cheer him up. "We tried out best."

"But the villagers just wouldn't believe us no matter how much we explained. Lavi rubbed his chin.

The villagers had given them a not-so-pleasant send off, after they had brought Krory to the villager center, alive.

"Who cares if we can't go back? Home is where the heart is." Lavi said. Though, he probably didn't realize just how corny his statement sounded. Krory looked up.

"Lavi!" He shouted, giving Lavi a possibly life-threatening hug.

When the carriage finally came to a stop in a large town. Krory looked like a three year old in a candy store.

"Aww! So this is the city?" Krory said, looking around in fascination.

"You've never been to one?"

"No" Krory said bluntly, "I've been in the castle my whole life."

We should go sight seeing before our train leaves then." Lavi suggested.

"Hmm, I think I will. I'm going to take a look!" He shouted running into the town center.

"See you!" Allen and Lavi called after him.

After a rather long chain of unfortunate happenings to Krory, Allen finally decided to break it too him.

"Krory, there are a lot of bad people in the world…try not to believe everyone so quickly."

After lecturing Krory, the three decided to board the train, and all was going well until Krory went exploring, by himself. Allen and Lavi found him engaged in a rather lopsided game of strip poker. He was sitting in only his shorts, losing miserably.

"Sorry, but this isn't a place for kids. Shall we go one more round?" The man with uncannily thick swirly glasses asked. Sighing, Allen pulled off his coat.

"The decorations are made of silver, what do you say you go against me?"

"Oi, Allen, what are you doing?" Lavi asked incredulously.

The next thing they knew, all of them were sitting practically naked on the train floor. And Allen had put down a perfect royal straight flush…again.

"What are you doing?" Lavi inquired. "Aren't you the unlucky kid?"

"I'm cheating." Allen said this phrase rather happily, as if nothing was wrong with it. Then, to everyone's surprise, he burst into a fit of maniacal laughter.

~Few Hours~

"OUT!" Screamed Alestina (for those who don't know, he's the gate keeper guy.)

"Why is the siren sounding? Its just Allen." Said Lenalee.

No one was quite sure how it happened, but the next thing they knew, a giant robot came out and ambushed them. It made an omelet out of Lavi and scared a good ten years off Krory's lifespan. Lenalee then showed up to save the day, and blasted the robot straight into the sky.

"What?" Yuuki yelled. "Why do we have to go to Belgium?"

Yeeger sighed. "Its for a mission." Seeing her face, he added. "I promise, Grampa will take you back here someday alright?"

"You promise?" Yuuki looked skeptical. Yeeger laughed to himself.

"Yes, I promise on my honor as a member of the Black Order." Still looking annoyed, Yuuki stomped off to pack her bags.

The next morning, the sun was peeking through the blanket of gray clouds. Yeeger, Yuuki, and the finders were driving Yeeger's stagecoach through a small mountain pass, at around lunch, they stopped for a picnic near the boundary between Spain and France, where they would soon find a boat to take them to Belgium. Yuuki had long since forgotten her disappointment about leaving Barcelona; she was admiring the long shoreline of France.

"You're not mad anymore?" Inquired Thierry, one of the finders.

"No," She replied, taking a bite into one of the cakes that she had made for the journey. "Grampa said he'd take me back there someday, and Grampa _never_ breaks a promise. So I'm content." She smiled warmly.

Yuuki rolled onto her back; she had finished eating, and was enjoying the rare solitude of a sunny day. Thierry, Pierre, and John, the finders were discussing how to get to Belgium with Yeeger a few meters away. She closed her eyes, enjoying the warm feeling on the lids of her eyes, she could smell the tantalizing scent of the ocean, sea salt, and the hint of the breeze. She was slipping into a light slumber when she suddenly bolted upwards, causing everyone to look at her, but their worries shattered when they heard what she said.

"Sea salt!"

All the finders mentally slapped themselves.

"Grampa! Could I go get some sea salt? We could make sea salt ice cream!" She cried like a child.

"I don't think so Yuuki, there's no ice, so probably not. How about this, we'll make some as soon as we report back to the order later this year? There'll be more ice." He grinned, his crow's feet popping out.

"Promise?"

"I promise." He replied sincerely.

"Alright then," She yawned, lying back down.

Finally, when the sun hung straight overhead, the five of them boarded the stagecoach again, and started into the city bustling with life. When they reached the center, they found that the next ship to Belgium didn't leave till the next evening. So, the finders found an inn, and everyone settled down. It was then Yeeger offered to take them to a diner to eat, since they didn't bring any ingredients.

On the way back, Yuuki saw a man dressed in black, a sign hung from his torso displayed in large letters, 'the world is coming to an end, say your last prayers.' People walking past him seemed to pay no mind. As Yuuki walked by, he caught her arm.

"Young miss. You believe me, don't you?"

Yuuki smiled when she answered. Yeeger and the finders stopped walking.

"No, I don't. Even though the world will end someday, it won't be today, or tomorrow." The man's eyes widened.

"Why do you believe so?"

"Because, as long as the sun still shines, I have no reason to worry. You should return to your family, you shouldn't worry them."

The next day the man was gone.

"Why did you tell him such kind things when others were scorning him?" An old woman asked her, as she walked by the vacant area where the man once stood.

"I don't know." Yuuki replied bluntly as she boarded the ship that would sail them to Belgium.

When they reached Belgium, the city spread out before them was dotted with smoldering buildings, all around, the remaining people lay out on the streets and sobbed bitter tears.

"Wh…What happened here?" Yuuki murmured under her breath. She had never seen such carnage, during her eight years being an exorcist; she had grown accustomed to dead bodies, and burning flesh. The sight that lay out before her brought the sickening taste of bile to her lips.

"Don't look Yuuki." Thierry said kindly. "We don't want to taint your eyes."

Thanks for reading, and sorry about the shortness and corny-ness. Please read and review!

Thanks to Earl Gray Tea, Yuna, and Allen~lvr

Yuna: You'll find out, its a plot twist. And yes, the poker scene is awesome. Especially "kuro-Allen"

Allen~lvr: Yes Yeeger does die (spoiler) and you'll find out in like 2 chapters, one if I'm on a roll, and yes, Allen goes to Belgium to deliver the golem.

Earl Gray Tea: Thanks, I'll try not to let you down!

Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man, only Yuuki.

"It's a miserable sight." Lamented Thierry.

They had been walking for what seemed to be hours. Already, the sparse landscape had increased to a dense thicket of lush trees. It was ironic to compare the health of the forest to that of the town.

Yeeger had proposed they first set up camp, and the finders could stay with the carriage, and out of harm's way. After that, Yeeger would take Yuuki into the city, and combat whatever Akuma came at them. The finders were pitching a small tent below a canopy of trees that would obscure them from view, and let them escape the downpour of rain. Juan and Gregory were setting up camp, and Thierry was getting ready to leave the next morning to meet with an exorcist that was coming to deliver Yeeger's new golem. The previous one had met an unfortunate demise after Yuuki accidentally blew it up while in Barcelona.

The little group ate a small supper at six, then they gathered in a little circle. Yuuki's birthday was in three days.

Well not exactly, it was just the day that Yeeger had found her in the church, so every year; they celebrated her birthday on that day. Usually, they were lucky to be in a town, but, in the few years they hadn't, Yeeger had just given her small trinkets he had found on his travels. However, if they were in 'danger spots' with lots of Akuma, where they wouldn't find a spare moment in quite some time, Yeeger usually gave her the present early. It didn't matter to her what she got, among the crazy things she had received before included: a ring that was said to charm animals that Yeeger got while in India, and a really strange mask that he said once belonged to the ancient Minoans or something like that. Although Yuuki couldn't actually say she liked all of her presents, especially the incident where Hahn tried to get her a pet wild bob-cat when they were in Romania (this idea was promptly rejected by General Yeeger,) she didn't care, she enjoyed knowing that people would actually bother getting her something for her 'found day.'

"Here you go Yuuki!" Said Yeeger, holding up a terribly wrapped package, for a man so strict, it was hard to believe that he had such problems with simply wrapping something in colored paper. He seemed really sheepish about the wrapping, even though Yuuki was long used to it.

Yuuki daintily peeled off the bits of paper, piece by piece. Once the last layer fell away, a small brown box stared at her. She opened it, to find…yet another box, but this time, it seemed that it was made of leather. She tilted her head, and opened it. Inside sat a small charm bracelet; it had seven small metal charms: a petite silver snowflake, a tiny Ulysses butterfly, and a small gold and pink and Prosobranchia shell. On the other side of the clasp, there was an elaborate cross, with flared sides, and a set multi-colored stone in the middle. To its right lay a crystal lotus no bigger than the nail of her little finger. How the craftsman made it was beyond her imagination. Next, was a gold and silver treble clef, on it, were the inscribed words, _'dream on' _whether it was a snide remark or not, she couldn't tell. Finally, set in the center of the bracelet, across from the clasp there was a violet and blue Zephyranth; the rich violets of the tips of the petals gently faded into a soft blue near the center.

Yuuki was absolutely speechless.

"Grampa…" She whispered.

Yeeger smiled at the bewildered expression on her face.

"Happy Birthday." Smiling, he gave her a hug. Immediately, she began bouncing around in joy.

"Thank you, Thank you! I'll never take it off!" She said, clasping it to her wrist.

"That's what you said about that Minoan mask I got you."

"You think I could walk around with a mask on all day?" She inquired, raising an eyebrow.

Yeeger sighed, just by her tone of voice she could outwit anyone, she was a pro arguer.

"Very funny, but we've looked for your family for nine years now. Correct?"

Yuuki's expression fell.

"Yes."

"Well then, I think today is the perfect day to give you something else."

"What's that?"

"Today you're officially my granddaughter, blood related or not. Isn't that right, Miss Yeeger?"

Yuuki's jaw dropped.

"Really?!" She asked, ecstatic.

"Yes." He replied, smiling, his crow's feet creasing his face.

The next morning, Yuuki, and Yeeger set into the Akuma infested city. From what they managed to glean from the survivors, there was a piece of innocence stolen by an Akuma.

"Are you Mr. Walker?" Thierry asked the boy that got off the train. He looked around before noticing him.

"Yes." He bowed, not that it was protocol or anything.

"My name is Thierry, I'm here to take you to General Yeeger?"

"What's he like?" The white haired boy asked.

"Well, he's like a teacher." Just then, a small monarch butterfly landed on his finger. "Do you know what this butterfly is called?'

Allen scrutinized it carefully, its orange and black wings fluttered slowly.

"No, what?"

"A monarch."

"Did the General teach your that?" Allen inquired.

"Yes."

Yuuki was chasing after the Akuma that covered the level two that held the innocence. Yeeger was behind her in a carriage, the years of exorcism had made his bones worse for wear, and running was not his forte. Her barrage of orbs trailed behind her, every so often, she sent a few out to destroy some level ones.

"Yuuki! I'll take the one that has the Innocence, you go the other way, and destroy the Akuma guarding him!" She heard Yeeger shout from the cart.

Yuuki leapt onto two of the orbs, immediately, they molded around her shoes, then carried her upwards, and in the direction of the other Akuma. She sailed after them with a trail of blue and green light behind her.

Allen ran into the battlefield, he could see that the General was in the horse drawn carriage. Yeeger exited, and confronted the Akuma that was not corned between him and the cliffs.

"Return the innocence you stole from the townspeople." He shouted to the clown Akuma.

"Never old man!" It hissed back, send a horde of Akuma sailing toward the General, with precision and experience, he whipped out two chains, and sent them each flying through lines and lines of Akuma, until the last one left was had not many choices left. He looked around, and seeing that the general was old, and unable to dodge, sent a line of Akuma-bullets toward him.

It was them Allen jumped in front and activated his innocence claw in the form of a cannon-like gun. The Akuma burst into a cloud of smog. He then saw a glowing figure flying toward them. He braced himself, what if it was an Akuma?

"No!" Yuuki screamed flying as fast as she could towards her Grampa, the innocence bearing level two had him cornered. It was then, when she noticed someone with a mop of white hair leap to his rescue. Still not slowing, she landed near Yeeger.

"Grampa, thank goodness! Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yuuki introduce yourself to the guest first."

It was then Yuuki first saw Allen Walker; he was a young man, maybe fifteen, or sixteen. He had grayish blue eyes, and unnaturally white hair. He was maybe a few inches taller than her. Then again, almost everyone was taller than her. Yuuki was considered 'vertically challenged.'

"Hello, my name is Yuuki Yeeger. I am General Yeeger's apprentice." She offered her hand to shake.

"I'm Allen Walker." He tried to shake her hand, but found she had offered her left one out of habit.

"Oops." She said, changing hands. He shook her hand with a smile.

"Pleasure to meet you Miss Yeeger."

Thanks for reading, please review, and leave feedback!

This chapter is kinda boring since its almost exactly the same as the anime, so the dialogue is a bit...dull. The next chapters' going to be awesome, I'll get it out ASAP

Thanks for reviewing.

Glon Morski: I sent the reply

Yuna: Yes the Z thing is a flower, and I'm glad you like the bracelet idea.

Starforce119: Thank you.

Allen~lvr: Actually, he's going to die in more like, umm, well, next chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own D. Gray Man

"Thank you for helping me, I am in your debt." Yeeger told Allen. Allen looked very modest, and scratched his head.

"No, not at all." He smiled sheepishly. "I'm glad you were able to retrieve the innocence, and that you are safe, General." He continued.

"That may be true…however," Yeeger stepped lightly to the edge of the cliff. "At the cost of more innocent lives." His tone was morose, and his expression apathetic. Yuuki walked over, and patted his back softly.

Along with Allen, they took the carriage down from the mountain, and back into the ruined town. They met the worried townsfolk near the village's windmill. Yeeger bowed his head.

"I'm sorry, if only I had arrived sooner, you would have avoided casualty." Some of the survivors gave silent prayers for their fallen friends and family.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Yuuki said delicately, trying not to further upset the people.

"Nonsense, Thanks to you two, our lives, are saved" A burly man said, gesturing to his fellow people.

"We thank you from the bottom of our hearts." Added his wife, as she hugged her son to her knees. The villagers all bowed their heads.

Later that night, Yuuki had offered to cook dinner for Allen, Yeeger, and the finders. While the meat simmered on the stove inside the carriage, Yeeger made small talk with Allen.

"You were Cross's apprentice, correct?"

"Uh, yes." Allen seemed to cringe at the mention of General Cross.

"That must have been difficult." Yeeger stated. Allen laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Umm, well…" Then realizing what he was saying, immediately whipped his hands in front of him, in a gesture that looked like something a mime would do. "No! Not at all!" He exclaimed. "I thank god every day for my master!" Yeeger chuckled to himself.

"He's not the best at human interactions." He murmured. "But his passion to eliminate the Akuma is stronger than anyone else's. That's why he took you as his disciple I suppose. As you know, Generals travel the world looking for accommodators, and Cross found you."

"If…. you don't mind, how many pieces of innocence do you have?" Allen inquired. Yuuki turned back and winked,

"Including today's find, we now have ten in our possession." With an expert flip of her hand, Yuuki tossed the steaks into the air, and then caught all five with no difficulty. She then turned, and set one on each person's plate. After, she took a seat next to Allen; she pushed the bowl of salad toward him.

"Now, eat, consider this our thanks to you." Yeeger said with a smile.

"No, you have nothing to thank me for." Allen said, embarrassed.

"Thanks not for saving me, but becoming an exorcist. Though you may be a host, its painful to send someone as young as you into battle."

"General Yeeger…" Allen murmured.

"Now," Yuuki reached over, and took a hold of the edge of the basket containing fresh garlic bread. "Eat your fill." She proffered the basket toward him. She smiled warmly; her turquoise eyes glinted in the light.

Yuuki and her Grampa were amazed at the stomach capacity of Allen Walker, for a pint sized exorcist, his appetite was bigger than General Cross's ego. Yuuki stared in amazement as he polished off a whole steak before she was two bites into her steak.

"This is delicious! I'm starved." Allen exclaimed, swallowing a piece of bread whole.

"I see, still?" Yeeger chuckled.

"Amazing…" Mumbled Thierry.

"I've heard parasitic types had enormous appetites, but this is saying something." Mused Yuuki, her hands folded in front of her face, with her chin resting on her knuckles. Allen started eating out of the salad bowl, and polished it off in seconds.

"Sorry, I ate your shares as well." Allen said, turning red, and innocently holding the fork in front of his face.

"No, not at all, eat as much as you like." Yeeger explained, waving off Allen's apology.

He stood, and walked over to the stove, he dropped a second slice of steak into the skillet for Allen.

"Having such a rare gourmand in my company gives such meaning to my culinary efforts." Said Yeeger from the stove.

"Its just as Mr. Thierry said. You are a nice man General Yeeger. I'm sure when you were a teacher, all the children loved you." Allen said wistfully.

When this topic was brought, up the mood in the stagecoach fell, Yuuki stared at a non-existence smudge on the table.

"No I was not a good teacher at all." Yeeger started. " I couldn't save my beloved students. I was a teacher in a small hamlet. There were only a handful lf twenty students. I loved them, and they responded in turn. We all shared a strong bond. But…" Yeeger trailed off. "That bond brought great tragedy. One of the girls died suddenly of illness. The entire class grieved her, but her best friend, Joanne, was affected the most. _He _responded to her grief, and brought about an Akuma. The class was overjoyed with her return, but she killed them all. Then, when I returned, I saw a stranger pointing an arrow at Joanne. That man, was an exorcist. Following this, I went with him to the order, and became an exorcist myself. I have fought ever since then, hoping to avert tragedy. But, tragedy seems to follow me, you must have experience some too."

"I made Mana," Allen stuttered. "I made the man who raised me into a demon. I also destroyed him. He cursed me with the ability to see the souls of demons."

"Allen…" Yuuki murmured softly, gently patting his back.

" I have heard. Then you became Cross's disciple." Yeeger stated. "Indeed the sadness you have felt has motivated you to save the souls of Akuma."

Allen's eyes filled with tears,

"What's the matter?" Asked Thierry, leaning over.

"I just got overwhelmed there, sorry!" Said Allen, wiping his face on his sleeve. Yuuki prodded his shoulder, and handed him a handkerchief with soft lace sides.

"Take it, it's new. Consider it my gift for becoming an exorcist." Yuuki smiled.

"Thank you." Allen said, wiping the rest of his tears.

The next morning Yeeger took Allen to the train station in his carriage. Yuuki walked him to the platform, and stood there tapping her foot.

"What it?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's the order like?" He smiled warmly.

"Its like a family, if you ever come, I'll introduce you. There's Kanda, he's a jerk, Lavi the womanizer, Lenalee, you'd get along with her, Miranda, kind of shy but still nice, and Krory, he's really easily flustered." He spoke rapidly, and excitedly.

"I don't think I ever will." Yuuki answered.

"Why not?" She shook her head.

" I won't ever leave my master's side. I've lost too much. I can't leave Grampa. I'll never leave him."

"I understand." Said Allen as he boarded the train. "Someday, we'll all come visit you." He said.

"That'd be nice." She shook Allen's hand one last time.

Yuuki returned to the waiting car, and Yeeger stood there, as the train picked up speed, she saw Allen's messy mop of hair sticking out of the window.

"Take care!" He shouted over the roar or the whistle.

Thanks for reading, please review!

Sorry its kinda cheesy, I had extreme writers block, but I'm still grounded from computer use, and it felt bad to leave you guys at such an important cliff-hanger. So, I borrowed my friend's laptop for a few hours.

Thanks to Yuna, and Glon Morski for reviewing, I love you guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews!

Yuna: Yup, I love the action in the chapter, hope you like this one.

Glon Morski: Actually, in the anime, Road is cut in the face by Yeeger, so I was simply following the storyline. Anyway, thanks for the tip.

Disclaimer: Don't own D, Gray Man, never will.

The first thing Yuuki noticed was searing pain in her body, it felt as if her blood had turned to burning lead. She was pulled to her knees by the pain, and doubled over, with her head resting on her knees. Between flashes of sanity she thought. _'Grampa's gone…_ _there's nothing more…' _

She screamed at the top of her lungs, the pain traversed to her back, and a circle of white fell upon her. She was bleeding heavily from her back and neck, spurting out like a fountain.

"Grampa…" She mourned morosely.

"Huh, little brat's still hanging on… Tyki, you finish her." Road said, picking at something under her nails.

"Whatever you say Road." He pulled his glove up. "Let's finish this…short stack." He leaped forward, with a tease ready in his hand.

His hand soared closer, and when it finally made contact with the circle, a shower of white fell upon her, and there, sprouting from her bleeding back, were wings, Yuuki was on her hands and knees.

"What!?" Tyki exclaimed. His tease faded from his hands, a hissing sound tore the air as it dissipated.

He reached out, and his hands met a light barrier, that sent a shock through his hands.

"Short…stack? Only…my…friends… can call me by that!" She cried, throwing her head back.

"Wha-?" Exclaimed Tyki, using his hand to shield his eyes from the impending light, it engulfed the girl's body.

When the brightness finally cleared, Yuuki lay motionless. Tyki sighed, and reached for his tease to finish the job.

"Wait." Chortled Road, holding his upper arm, "Let's wait for her to develop." She licked her lips menacingly. "After all, a toy with more features is more fun. But, let's make her a warning to stay out of our way." Tyki grinned. He summoned tease, and simple made a clean piecing through her chest, far enough from her heart so not to kill her.

"What'll we do about the old dude?" Asked Tyki, after he removed the nine pieces of innocence from Yeeger's coat, and the one from his chain. There was a _whoosh _and the Millennium Earl himself flopped down beside him. One by one, he crushed each fragment of innocence into dust. For the last one, Tyki picked it up, and examined it.

"Earl, here comes the pitch." He tossed it to the top-hat wearing man, and he responded by pulling Rero out, and batting the fragment like a baseball.

"All that work for nothing." He muttered, staring at the falling dust, his hand was over his brows like a visor.

"What about the brat over there?" The Earl gestured toward the fallen girl.

"I don't think she has any innocence." The lie slid off Tyki tongue like dew off a morning flower. "But…" He broke into a sadistic grin. "I do know what to do with the old man. Still alive, bound by his own chains." He bent, and plucked a golden button from Yeeger's breast pocket.

Allen and Lenalee trudged quickly through the dense mist that obscured the forest.

"Marshall!" Shouted Allen,

When they reached the clearing, the stagecoach was in bits and pieces, and completely wrecked. Small pieces here and there were still smoldering. Lenalee and Allen gasped at the view that spread out before them.

"Thierry!" Allen shouted to the finder. "Where are Yuuki and the General?"

Thierry turned slowly, and shook his head. Lenalee and Allen followed his gaze to a tall tree covered with mist. Allen squinted, and abruptly dropped his suitcase. Lenalee sank to her knees.

Before them, Yeeger was bound backwards to the tree with his own chains, on his back, there were many crosses carved straight into his skin. His robe lay in tatters under him, swaying in the zephyrs like the cape of a warrior returning from a victorious battle. Only, the occasion was certainly anything from a happy reunion. Allen suddenly felt the desire to not know what happened to Yuuki, but he asked anyway.

"Where…where's Yuuki?" He inquired, averting his eyes from the body of the General.

"Over here." Shouted Gregory from a little ways away.

Allen gasped at the body of Yuuki, blood covered her torso, and her face was caked with dirt, and dried blood. Around her neck was a strange red choker he'd never seen before. Her eyes were closed, but the expression was anything but peaceful.

"Is she…?" Allen trailed off; he didn't want to finish his sentence.

"No, thank God." Gregory sighed, "But she was pretty close when we got here."

Lenalee seemed to have regained some of her composure when she walked over the Yuuki's body.

"Whose this?" She asked. "She doesn't look like a finder."  
"This is Yeeger's apprentice." Allen explained.

"That can't be possible…" She stuttered. "He would have said something."

Just then, a gasp from Thierry brought everyone's attention back to Yeeger. Just slightly, but the general's fingers twitched a bit, bringing a newfound wave of surprise from the small crowd.

Komui kept a brisk pace as he race down the hall toward General Yeeger's room. It had been a week since the incident. News of Yeeger's secret apprentice traveled like wild fire through the order, even to the central, questions of _who, why, how, when, _and _how strong was he_. Finally, he reached the door and he composed himself before entering.

"How's the Marshall?!" He asked. He gasped at the sight.

There were two beds in the room. One was occupied, and the other was empty, Yeeger was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, he was slumped on the wall, and was singing a disturbing song.

"_The Millennium Earl is searching for you! Looking for you! The precious heart! This one's not it, what about the next? Looking for you, you precious heart._"

"Precious heart?" Inquired Allen.

"The central innocence, it's what we've been searching for." Komui answered. "It has the power to destroy all the other fragments."

A stirring caught everyone's attention.

"Yuuki! Thank goodness!" Exclaimed Allen. "How do you feel?" It seemed as if she was staring past him.

"Is Yuuki you name? I'm Lenalee." She blinked a few times before slowly answering.

"I…feel…fine, just fine." Then recognition flashed through her eyes, she sat up quickly, causing the wound on her shoulder to reopen. Immediately, Lenalee held her down gently."Grampa!" She shouted, thrashing against Lenalee's hold. Finally, after a struggle, she managed to wriggle out of her hold, and swing her legs to the floor. Unable, the support the weight, she collapsed, it didn't help that her muscles had been torn. Komui gently helped her up, and supported her so she could stumble over to Yeeger's chair.

"Grampa?"

"_The Millennium Earl is searching for you! Looking for you! The precious heart! This one's not it, what about the next? Looking for you, you precious heart." _He continued to sing.

"Grampa! It's me… please…answer me!" She was crying now, clutching Yeeger's hand, and holding it to her face. Yuuki couldn't stop the tears from coming.

Thanks for reading, please review and give me feedback!

Sorry its kinda cheesy, I had extreme writers block, but I'm still grounded from computer use, and it felt bad to leave you guys at such an important cliff-hanger. So, I borrowed my friend's laptop for a few hours.

Thanks to Yuna, and Glon Morski for reviewing, I love you guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews!

Yuna: Yup, I love the action in the chapter, hope you like this one.

Glon Morski: Actually, in the anime, Road is cut in the face by Yeeger, so I was simply following the storyline. Anyway, thanks for the tip.

Disclaimer: Don't own D, Gray Man, never will.

The first thing Yuuki noticed was searing pain in her body, it felt as if her blood had turned to burning lead. She was pulled to her knees by the pain, and doubled over, with her head resting on her knees. Between flashes of sanity she thought. _'Grampa's gone…_ _there's nothing more…' _

She screamed at the top of her lungs, the pain traversed to her back, and a circle of white fell upon her. She was bleeding heavily from her back and neck, spurting out like a fountain.

"Grampa…" She mourned morosely.

"Huh, little brat's still hanging on… Tyki, you finish her." Road said, picking at something under her nails.

"Whatever you say Road." He pulled his glove up. "Let's finish this…short stack." He leaped forward, with a tease ready in his hand.

His hand soared closer, and when it finally made contact with the circle, a shower of white fell upon her, and there, sprouting from her bleeding back, were wings, Yuuki was on her hands and knees.

"What!?" Tyki exclaimed. His tease faded from his hands, a hissing sound tore the air as it dissipated.

He reached out, and his hands met a light barrier, that sent a shock through his hands.

"Short…stack? Only…my…friends… can call me by that!" She cried, throwing her head back.

"Wha-?" Exclaimed Tyki, using his hand to shield his eyes from the impending light, it engulfed the girl's body.

When the brightness finally cleared, Yuuki lay motionless. Tyki sighed, and reached for his tease to finish the job.

"Wait." Chortled Road, holding his upper arm, "Let's wait for her to develop." She licked her lips menacingly. "After all, a toy with more features is more fun. But, let's make her a warning to stay out of our way." Tyki grinned. He summoned tease, and simple made a clean piecing through her chest, far enough from her heart so not to kill her.

"What'll we do about the old dude?" Asked Tyki, after he removed the nine pieces of innocence from Yeeger's coat, and the one from his chain. There was a _whoosh _and the Millennium Earl himself flopped down beside him. One by one, he crushed each fragment of innocence into dust. For the last one, Tyki picked it up, and examined it.

"Earl, here comes the pitch." He tossed it to the top-hat wearing man, and he responded by pulling Rero out, and batting the fragment like a baseball.

"All that work for nothing." He muttered, staring at the falling dust, his hand was over his brows like a visor.

"What about the brat over there?" The Earl gestured toward the fallen girl.

"I don't think she has any innocence." The lie slid off Tyki tongue like dew off a morning flower. "But…" He broke into a sadistic grin. "I do know what to do with the old man. Still alive, bound by his own chains." He bent, and plucked a golden button from Yeeger's breast pocket.

Allen and Lenalee trudged quickly through the dense mist that obscured the forest.

"Marshall!" Shouted Allen,

When they reached the clearing, the stagecoach was in bits and pieces, and completely wrecked. Small pieces here and there were still smoldering. Lenalee and Allen gasped at the view that spread out before them.

"Thierry!" Allen shouted to the finder. "Where are Yuuki and the General?"

Thierry turned slowly, and shook his head. Lenalee and Allen followed his gaze to a tall tree covered with mist. Allen squinted, and abruptly dropped his suitcase. Lenalee sank to her knees.

Before them, Yeeger was bound backwards to the tree with his own chains, on his back, there were many crosses carved straight into his skin. His robe lay in tatters under him, swaying in the zephyrs like the cape of a warrior returning from a victorious battle. Only, the occasion was certainly anything from a happy reunion. Allen suddenly felt the desire to not know what happened to Yuuki, but he asked anyway.

"Where…where's Yuuki?" He inquired, averting his eyes from the body of the General.

"Over here." Shouted Gregory from a little ways away.

Allen gasped at the body of Yuuki, blood covered her torso, and her face was caked with dirt, and dried blood. Around her neck was a strange red choker he'd never seen before. Her eyes were closed, but the expression was anything but peaceful.

"Is she…?" Allen trailed off; he didn't want to finish his sentence.

"No, thank God." Gregory sighed, "But she was pretty close when we got here."

Lenalee seemed to have regained some of her composure when she walked over the Yuuki's body.

"Whose this?" She asked. "She doesn't look like a finder."  
"This is Yeeger's apprentice." Allen explained.

"That can't be possible…" She stuttered. "He would have said something."

Just then, a gasp from Thierry brought everyone's attention back to Yeeger. Just slightly, but the general's fingers twitched a bit, bringing a newfound wave of surprise from the small crowd.

Komui kept a brisk pace as he race down the hall toward General Yeeger's room. It had been a week since the incident. News of Yeeger's secret apprentice traveled like wild fire through the order, even to the central, questions of _who, why, how, when, _and _how strong was he_. Finally, he reached the door and he composed himself before entering.

"How's the Marshall?!" He asked. He gasped at the sight.

There were two beds in the room. One was occupied, and the other was empty, Yeeger was sitting in a chair in the corner of the room, he was slumped on the wall, and was singing a disturbing song.

"_The Millennium Earl is searching for you! Looking for you! The precious heart! This one's not it, what about the next? Looking for you, you precious heart._"

"Precious heart?" Inquired Allen.

"The central innocence, it's what we've been searching for." Komui answered. "It has the power to destroy all the other fragments."

A stirring caught everyone's attention.

"Yuuki! Thank goodness!" Exclaimed Allen. "How do you feel?" It seemed as if she was staring past him.

"Is Yuuki you name? I'm Lenalee." She blinked a few times before slowly answering.

"I…feel…fine, just fine." Then recognition flashed through her eyes, she sat up quickly, causing the wound on her shoulder to reopen. Immediately, Lenalee held her down gently."Grampa!" She shouted, thrashing against Lenalee's hold. Finally, after a struggle, she managed to wriggle out of her hold, and swing her legs to the floor. Unable, the support the weight, she collapsed, it didn't help that her muscles had been torn. Komui gently helped her up, and supported her so she could stumble over to Yeeger's chair.

"Grampa?"

"_The Millennium Earl is searching for you! Looking for you! The precious heart! This one's not it, what about the next? Looking for you, you precious heart." _He continued to sing.

"Grampa! It's me… please…answer me!" She was crying now, clutching Yeeger's hand, and holding it to her face. Yuuki couldn't stop the tears from coming.

Thanks for reading, please review and give me feedback!

-Z. :)


	3. Part 2

Sorry its kinda cheesy, I had extreme writers block, but I'm still grounded from computer use, and it felt bad to leave you guys at such an important cliff-hanger. So, I borrowed my friend's laptop for a few hours.

Thanks to Yuna, Wind in your Whiskers and Glon Morski for reviewing, I love you guys! Thanks for the awesome reviews!

Yuna: I'm glad you like my ideas, please keep reviewing! :)

Wind in your Whiskers: I"m so sorry! I've noticed that too, but my word program automatically capitalizes anything after a quotation, its really annoying, I don't know how to fix it. I'll try some more to make it better ASAP! I'm sorry but I think Yeeger does actually have to die for the story to progress. I know! He's a sweet old guy, but there's not really anything left for him to do. But it'll kinda be weird to keep him around. I don't know yet, I'll get back to that ASAP. But please don't be disappointed, he probably will die. Anyway, I hope you like the story and please keep reviewing and giving me tips! :)

Glon Morski: It's okay, I probably would have done the same thing. Anyway, I do feel bad about Yuuki losing so much, but I promise she'll 'happy up' real soon. I'll try for her to be reasonably sad, but not emo-like. :)

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man, never will. All the characters except for Yuuki belong to Katsura Hoshino.

A day had passed since the…unfortunate incident. Yuuki never left her grampa's side. Day by day, his condition grew worse, and worse. His wounds weren't healing properly, he wasn't eating, and worse of all, his sanity was gone. She spent all her time tending to his needs. Her own leg was healing up nicely, and so had her other wounds thanks to her newly acquired innocence. All that remained of her injuries was a faint throbbing that was easily masked by the pain emitting from her torn heart.

Every morning, she slowly arose from her zombie-like slumber, and experimented with her culinary expertise. Trying to obtain a reaction…any reaction from the gentle man who was her grandfather. That particular morning, Yuuki awoke to the chirping of songbirds outside her window, what seemed to be long ago, she would open the window, and whistle back. Only, on this morning, the world seemed yet again, less bright. The petite little meadow lark stared at her through the glass panes, and then fluttered off into the sky. She reached into the cupboard, and pulled out a plate for breakfast and started on a few sunny side up eggs, though it wasn't for her, it was for Yeeger. She sighed heavily.

"You know, if you sigh too much, the luck escapes you." Came a voice from behind. Allen Walker stood behind her, yawning into one of his hands. He smiled.

"Morning." He walked over and gently patted her back. "How're you feeling?" He added softly.

The world was just a sliver brighter when the exorcists were around her.

Yuuki put on a faux smiled, though her cheeks felt impossibly heavy.

"Fine." There was an awkward silence filled by the crackling of the eggs on the stove. She loaded them onto a plate, and she counted six in total. She loaded one onto a plate.

"One second, I need to bring this to Grampa." She walked toward the door, her shoes clicking on the wooden flooring. With one hand on the doorknob she tilted her head and called out,

"Help yourself." It was as if she knew he had been mentally drooling over the scrumptious pile of perfectly done eggs on the table.

Yuuki walked slowly down the corridor to Grampa's room. She slowly opened the door, and cringed when the hinges let out a startling screech.

"Grampa?" She whispered. "Are you awake?"

He wasn't, his eyes were open, but they were blank.

"Here's breakfast, it eggs, your favorite." She slowly propped him on one of his overstuffed pillows. Yuuki balanced the tray on her knee. She reached over, and opened his mouth with a spoon.

"Say awwww." She gasped at the recognition of the situation.

_. "Here comes the bug! Swallow it up!" He said, making the spoon travel toward her pouting mouth._

She swallowed the oversized lump in her throat, obstructing her speech. Slowly, Yuuki cut the egg into smaller bits. She skewered one on the fork and held it up, then dropped it in Yeeger's mouth. A bit of grease trailed down his chin. Quickly, she used a napkin and wiped it off.

For half and hour, she repeated this process until the egg was gone. Yuuki lay Yeeger back down, pulled up the covers, and slowly retreated the room.

_He's fading away...no...he's not, I won't let him._

_"_I'll come by later Grampa," She paused and wet her dry lips. "See you..." Yuuki stood in the cherry wood doorway for a little while,

_I can't keep lying to myself...he won't answer anymore._

Yuuki them proceded to close the door behind her.

By the time she returned to the kitchen, Lenalee was already up, beside her, sat and exorcist. He had spiky, flame red hair with green eyes, attitude wise, he seemed very cheerful.

"Ah, Yuuki, you haven't met Lavi have you?" She gestured toward the two men.

"Wow…you're Yeeger's secret apprentice, I've been here since yesterday, yet we've never talked." He piped.

Yuuki looked to Allen, who in turn, shrugged.

"Hello." She said apathetically. Lenalee smiled softly, and handed her a cup.

"I just made a pot of coffee, want some?" Yuuki actually smiled a bit at the comment.

"_Grampa? Why can't I have any of that brown-drink?" Seven-year-old Yuuki asked._

"_Because, if you drink it, it'll make you short." Replied Yeeger._

"_So?" Yuuki complained. "You drink it all the time, and you're super tall!" She emphasized the point by spreading her arms out._

"_Fine, don't say I didn't warn you." He tilted the cup toward her, and his eyes gleamed with amusement. Peering at the coffee from beyond the rim, she took a small sip, and immediately fell back._

"_Ew!" She screamed, "Its nasty! What is that? Its so bitter!" She was gagging and chugging down her glass of water._

"_You just be glad I like my coffee extra sweet." He grinned from beyond his long moustache. "Now, my advice, don't try drinking it again, or you'll be a Short stack forever." Yuuki's eyes bugged out._

"_I am NOT a Short stack!" Yeeger chuckled, and returned to his coffee._

"No thanks." Yuuki replied, going to the stove to make her own breakfast. "Want any?" She asked the three exorcists in the room.

After the four had eaten, Allen, Lenalee, and Lavi had gone to the city to search for Akuma that had been part of the recent infestation. Yuuki stayed home to tend to Yeeger.

She watched the weak rising and falling of his torso, and the twitching of his nose as air passed through his nostrils. The only thing missing was the thunderous snore he let out. Years ago, Yuuki would have done anything to not hear that noise that would keep whole inns awake. Now, she would give anything to hear it again.

_He's fading away...he won't last much longer._

Yuuki's thoughts let her to fall into a troubled sleep.

**It was dark, and there weren't any lights around. Yuuki sat in a chair stood under a beam of weak light, like she was being interrogated or something. **

"**Yuuki?" A voice asked…the voice was all too familiar.**

"**Grampa?"**

"**Yes."**

"**You're not an akuma are you?"**

"**No." He replied in an amused voice.**

**The chair disappeared, and Yuuki delved into the darkness once more.**

Thanks for reading, please rate and review! I really hoped you liked it. I may not be on for the rest of the week (Still grounded, hehe, right now I'm secretly using the computer.) So sorry. But it gave me lots of time to think past my humongous writer's block!

-Z.

Sorry its kinda cheesy, I had extreme writers block, but I'm still grounded from computer use, and it felt bad to leave you guys at such an important cliff-hanger. So, I'm once again secretly on the computer.

Thanks to Glon Morski, Wind in your whiskers, and Sweeper442 for reviewing, thanks for the support!

Glon Morski: Sorry about it, I missed the "tease eating the organs part," So I went back and corrected it. Thanks for catching that.

Wind in your WHiskers: Thanks for the tip, I'll try to put things into more detail, but I tend to overdo it. Please tell me if I do. :)

Sweeper442: Thanks, I'm glad you like the story!

Disclaimer; Don't own D. Gray Man.

PS You may want to reread chapter 8 and 9, I edited them, and added a few things. Its not necessary though. :)

Onto the story! By, the way, this chapter is where the title "Wild Flowers" comes from. :)

**The darkness faded into a scintillant light. All around were flowers, violets, and every variety.**

"**Grampa?" Yuuki whispered, sitting up slowly from where she was sprawled amongst the wild flowers. **

**Blue, green, and red, their petals let out intoxicating scents; their stems had gently rubbed against her cheek as the soft zephyrs caressed the field. The flowers swayed to and fro, creating ripples that spread through the field.**

"**Where is this?" She said to no one in particular. **

"**You're here, and this is somewhere…" **

"**What? Who are you?" She demanded spinning around. A kind-hearted chuckle burst from behind her.**

"**Its nice to see my passing hasn't diminished your senses." **

"**Grampa?" Yuuki whispered, the name was like molten iron in her throat. "Where are you?" She begged. "Why did you leave me?" The searing pain from her heart spread to her eyes. "Why didn't you take me with you?" Tears began to roll down her pale face, noticing, she sniffed, and buried her face onto her sleeve.**

"**Yuuki…" Yeeger started, pulling his granddaughter into a hug. "I didn't leave…I was meant to go." Yuuki buried her face onto his Exorcist coat, ignoring the mothball smell she used to detest.**

"**But why?" She demanded, though it didn't sound too authorities with the sniffing and the trembling.**

"**You are too old for me. You weren't the little caterpillar I found so long ago." He patted her head softly. "You didn't need me anymore, you are now a butterfly, ready to see the world on your own."**

**She sat on the ground, and continued to cry.**

"**Yuuki, do you know why I didn't send you to the order?" Yeeger asked finally, breaking the deathly silence.**

"**Why?" Yuuki hiccuped, wiping her nose on her sleeve; her eyes were red and puffy.**

"**You were too innocent, I couldn't send you into a world where violence awaited at every turn. But, when I saw you with that boy, and smiling…I knew you needed to join the front lines, to protect the ones you loved, not watch from the sidelines."**

**Yuuki had calmed considerably, her sobs had quieted to a few hiccups, and sniffs.**

"**I've left documents for you to join the order. They're with Juan. Its better for you to join of your own accord." She looked up at his kind blue-gray eyes. "Someday, you'll understand what I've said today…I'll come to you, and you will feel no sadness or regret, no pain, no guilt. You've always been a wild flower; you're different from anyone else. The next time I see you, I hope you still keep naïve personality." Yeeger bent, and plucked a blue violet from the field, once, long ago, Yuuki had been told they represent faith in life. Yeeger smiled, and handed it to her. **

"**I'll see you once more in time, take care, my wild flower, my granddaughter. Happy Birthday... I'll watch over you forever."**

**There was a whoosh, and the flowers started dissipating. Yeeger's form was fading fast.**

"**Grampa?" She screamed. Trying to race after his disappearing form, he outstretched his hand. Yuuki reached for it, and grasped it for a brief second before darkness clouded the world around her.**

Yuuki groggily sat up and rubbed her eyes. Her face had an odd imprint on it from laying her face on her charm bracelet. She sat, up and a blanket fell from her shoulders. _'Those guys" _she thought to herself, making a note to thank them later.

Yeeger was still sleeping, his face was still, and a smile was softly imprinted on his wrinkled face.

"Grampa?" She asked. "Are you there?" His nose wasn't twitching, and the rising of his chest was so small it appeared it wasn't there. Yuuki's eyes widened, she shook his shoulder roughly,

"Grampa?" She shrieked. She heard thumping from the hallway. Allen, Lavi, Bookman, and Lenalee appeared at the doorway.

"What's the matter?" Allen asked frantically.

Yuuki stopped shaking Yeeger's shoulder.

"He's gone…isn't he." Bookman mumbled, not a hint of remorse in his voice. "The tease ate his organs, he should have been dead long ago."

"No…" Yuuki whispered morosely.

Awww. I hate sad endings, and cliffhangers, I'm gonna try and sneak back on tomorrow. Cross your fingers!

Thanks for reading please review, and give me tips and feedback.

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Thank you to Wind in your Whiskers,and xxsadxangelsxx for their reviews

Autumn: Here's chapter 11, by the wway, you knew I knew what adjectives were..right...? Anyway, please continue to give me awesome tips for my writing!

xxsadxangelsxx: Thanks, I'm glad you like the story.

Sorry its kinda cheesy, I had extreme writers block, but I'm still grounded from computer use, and it felt bad to leave you guys at such an important cliff-hanger. So, I'm once again secretly on the computer. Shhh!

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man

After the death of General Yeeger, beloved teacher-figure of the Black Order, his body was shipped to its final resting place. A gravesite near the headquarters, all exorcists, scientists, and finders whose bodies was within recognition were buried.

The funeral was a miserable occasion, though the sun was peeping from beyond a gray cloud, white flower petals scattered throughout the gravesite, weeping staff members, quickly prepared eulogies, and of course, condolences that constantly reached Yuuki's ears.

"I'm sorry for your loss…"

"I'm sorry about General Yeeger…"

"I hope you're okay."

But, the worse was the pity spread behind her back.

"Poor kid,"

"Poor thing…"

"That unfortunate girl…"

Yuuki sighed deeply, it was her turn to go up to the coffin. Sitting up, she slowly stood, and walked toward the rosewood coffin. Her black dress's trim moving with each step. When her feet finally stood by the coffin, she lay a hand onto the coffin, and felt the smooth feeling of the polished wood, and the faint smell of rosewood. She willed her other hand to place her white rose bouquet on the top. The white petals scattered as they touched the wood, in surprise, Yuuki stabbed her finger with a thorn from the rose, the drop of crimson blood slowly dripped onto a snow-white petal, and finally, landed on it with a _plunk_. Pure white no longer, just like her soul.

"Good Bye, Grampa." She whispered to the coffin, and in an even lower voice, added, "I'll find you killer, and avenge you." She stood, and patted the coffin again, picturing Yeeger one last time. His wrinkled face, crow's feet, long mustache, kind gray eyes, and teacher persona, were going forever.

After speaking those last words, she walked back to her seat, and sat, biting back tears. She watched as one by one, Allen, Lenalee, Lavi, a Japanese man, and three generals approached the coffin. As expected, Cross was not present, much to Allen's delight.

"I'll miss you old Chap." Said Tiedol, holding a landscape of a schoolhouse, and then burning it with one of the candles around the coffin.

"We didn't know each other for long, but…I hope you find peace. You taught me so much." Choked Allen.

"Dumb old man, didn't know when to quit, have a nice afterlife." Spat Sokaro. At that moment, Yuuki felt the need to sock his face, but reclined, as it wasn't her funeral, she wasn't about to ruin it.

After everyone bid their final farewell to Yeeger, the grave workers lowered him into the pit. Then covered him with soil.

When everyone dispersed, and began to return to the order, she went to Juan, who would then be separated from Gregory and Thierry.

"Juan, do you have the papers?" She asked softly. He looked sympathetic.

"Yes," He reached into his pack, and pulled a manila envelope, sealed with a wax seal. "Here…" He sighed. "Thierry, Gregory, and I hope to see you in the Order."

"That night, after Yuuki returned to her room at the inn, sat, at the small desk with a huff. She opened the envelope as if it contained an explosive, slowly, but deliberately. She felt the stiff paper groan under the pressure of her fingers, and finally, the seal broke with a faint _pop_. She looked over the questions:

Birth name Name?

Age?

Birthday?

Parents/Guardians?

Birthplace?

All the questions she couldn't produce a precise answer to. That was, until she noticed a small piece of paper tucked into the bottom of the envelope; it was yellowing, and slightly crinkled with age. It read:

Yuuki Yeeger

15 Years Old

Guardian: Kevin Yeeger

Barcelona

The list continued to name her birthday, accomplishments, and other personal information. She smiled softly, and her quill began scratching at the paper.

_I won't be the unhappy one…I'm going to continue living…just like you wished for me…Grampa._

In the morning, Yuuki met with Allen Walker and Lenalee Lee at the coffee shop. She smiled and waved them over. When the two sat, they seemed surprised to see her expression, and she greeted them warmly.

"Hello Allen, Lenalee." She chided.

"Yuuki, do you feel better?" Allen asked, uncertainty coated his voice.

"Yes, after all, I'm fifteen now, I should just deal with sadness." She explained.

"Really?" I'm fifteen too. When was your birthday?" Allen implored. Yuuki smiled sadly.

"Yesterday."  
"Oh, I'm sorry…" Lenalee breathed.

"That's not why I called you here. I wanted to give you these." Yuuki said in a matter of fact tone. She handed them the completed forms.

"Are these…" Lenalee trailed off.

The next day, Lenalee and Allen saw her to the cliff, when she saw the altitude of the colossal mountainside.

"Are you kidding me?" She grumbled, and then proceeded to climb the cliff. It was only after she started did Allen notice something.

"Lenalee, did we show her to the steep side of the cliff?"

"So?" Lenalee smiled humorously.

Yuuki climbed for hours. Sweat beaded her forehead, and it wasn't until she grabbed a boulder did she realize just how tired she was. Sighing, she leaned against the stone mountainside to take a small break, until…she heard a faint cracking under her feet. The stone was loose! Frantically scrambling upwards, Yuuki's hand caught a handhold; the only issue was that it was loose too!

With a curse, Yuuki shut her eyes, and she plummeted toward the quickly approaching ground... too fast for her innocence to save her.

Thanks for reading, please review!

Sorry this one was so short, I didn't have much time.

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Sorry, still grounded, I managed to do this chapter at school. Haha. Anyway, thanks to Wind in Your Whiskers, Glon Morksi, xxsadxangelsxx and 0Infinity0 for reviewing!

Glon Morski: Nope, haha. I'm trying not to make her too useless. Anyway, I needed to introduce her second innocence.

0Infinity0: Really? I think in one episode Lavi was staring at Lenalee in a coffin so I just assumed they buried people. Oh well. I'm glad you liked Yuuki's relationship with Yeeger. I'm sorry about the details, when I have to finish quickly becuase I don't have much time, I tend to leave some out. I swear when I get ungrounded, I'll overload on details!

Wind in Your Whiskers (that's an awesome name by the way): I hoped you liked it, oh and what does JY mean? You typed it in the review.

xxsadxangelsxx: Here's the next chapter, please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man!

I am SO sorry for the late update, I'll try to get more chapters up in the next few days. :) By the way, are the names of the chapters annoying, my friend read it over and told me it was horrible, should I just call them Chapter 1, 2, and so on?

Or so she thought. It started as a light tingling at her back, then the tearing of fabric. Then, like magic the moonlight was shaded from Yuuki's pale face. Not that she really noticed, she was still squeezing her eyes shut and waiting for the sound of her bones snapping upon the ragged rocks around the Black Order's tower. Soon, Yuuki noticed the absence of the rushing wind biting her cheeks, and looked down. It almost seemed as if the ground was coming slower and slower, then finally, not at all. No "life flashing before the eyes" no light to walk toward.

Yuuki looked up, and to her surprise, spotted a giant white shadow covering her. They were soft, and slightly furry. It took a few moments for Yuuki's dazed mind to realize that they were wings. Immediately, she looked around her, to look for their host. Up, down, left then right, though her search proved unfruitful, then she thought to look behind her, and gasped as she saw the feathery base attaching her shoulder blades. She felt nothing but a slight tickling sensation from the spot, though, only if her clothes were in the same condition. The back part of her dress had two large, gaping holes that exposed her back, and in this case, the wings coming from it.

"I wonder how this wo-…." Yuuki murmured, before suddenly, the wings collected air under them, and shot her into the sky. Yuuki screamed loudly.

The screaming fest continued for about ten minutes before Yuuki finally got a hang of flying, she just imagine the wings were fingers, and move them. It took a great deal of trial and error to finally land in front of the face shaped gate.

"Finally…." She gasped, huffing and puffing for breath. "Now…where's that door that Allen-…Oh my gosh!" She screamed, holding her hands in front of her.

Before her was what seemed to be…and oversized face, maybe four, no, five times her height and capable of swallowing her whole. He had lots of lines on his or her, chin resembling a beard, and a nose that seemed to house a few birds. The statue's eyes were closed, but when Yuuki silently approached, it let out a startled shriek that pierced her ears.

"Examination! Determining whether subject is human or Akuma!" It shouted. Yuuki was now absolutely sure it was a guy. Two beams of light shot out from each of his eyes, and he was mumbling something under his breath. "Clear!" He finally shouted, after leaving Yuuki in the spotlight for a good three or so minutes.

"Hi Yuuki!" Shouted a familiar voice of a certain white haired exorcist from the door. Allen Walker ran over and smiled widely. To her ears' and his misfortune, Allen leaned on the face, resulting in it breaking into hives, and screeching about how cursed people shouldn't touch him.

The first thing Yuuki noticed after stepping foot inside the order was that the floors were cobblestone, and everything was really, really dreary. The main hall had gray walls, gray floors and a rather depressing gray ceiling. It seemed as if the lifeless aura of the hall was draining the life out of her. Yuuki sighed.

"I know it's depressing." Came Allen's voice. "Its not as bad upstairs." He smiled sheepishly, and scratched the back of his head.

Once the two reached the main floor of the tower, there was a small crowd gathered around the staircase. There was Lenalee, Lavi, and a few men dressed in stiff white lab coats.

"Yuuki!" Shouted Lenalee when she noticed coming up the stairs, she waved cheerfully and smiled widely. Lavi followed in suit, and soon, they dragged her to the control center. Where she experienced yet another aspect of the Order that could scare someone to death.

"Hi! It's me Komui!" A blue haired man who seemed to be on the upside of a caffine high chattered, saluting her even though in no way was it necessary.

The scientists and Komui spent a good ten or so minutes bombarding her with questions until finally did Lenalee drag her out of the mob.

"Sorry about them" She explained sheepishly, "They're really enthusiastic about their work. Anyhow, we should take you to Hevlaska." It was once again, Yuuki's turn to be utterly clueless.

"What? What's a Hevlaska?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, and tilting her head.

"It's more or less who, not what." Allen answered, and then he leaned in a bit. "Try not to struggle, it only makes the process take longer."

"Wait what?"

With quite a bit of a struggle, Yuuki was finally schlepped onto a piece of metal they called an elevator, to her, it looked completely unreliable. Who, of their free will, will step onto a floating piece of metal that wasn't even attached by cables? The elevator zoomed downward for a few minutes before Yuuki finally spoke.

"Why does Hevlaska live in the basement?"

"It's not a basement" Chided Lenalee. "There's no other place big enough to put her. Besides, its not safe for the innocence to be upstairs."

"Wait? What?" Exclaimed Yuuki, once again, utterly baffled.

It turns out that Hevlaska was a huge white thing that vaguely resembled a woman in the face, but a tentacle-ridden snake in the body. How three exorcists, and twenty or so scientist failed to mention it, she would never know. It must have been about a minute of gaping at the white being before white tentacles began to surround her.

"What is this?!" She screamed to Allen, Lenalee, and Komui who were watching calmly from below.

"I told you! Struggling will only make this last longer!" Allen shouted up to her.

Nonetheless, Yuuki ignored the tip, and continued to squirm, trying to invocate her innocence(s.) It was only then she realized, she hadn't been able to fluently use it since the incident, and the jewel containing Goddess of Dawn (the orb innocence) was gone, and the wings, unless she learned to use them were next to useless.

"Don't move, child…" Murmured the woman, starting to sink its tentacle into her back. She then moved to put her forehead against her's.

"It feels funny…." Yuuki muttered to herself.

"Innocence…1%, 30%, 55%, 61%, 72%. Innocence invocation rate is at 72%." She finally said.

"So, 72%, that's pretty good." Komui remarked. What he didn't notice was the tentacles sinking into the red band on her neck.

"Innocence…7%…19%…37%…49%…67%…85%…91%. Goddess of Dawn is at 91% invocation rate."

"Hevlaska? Why are you counting twice?" Komui shouted to the white entity.

"This child carried two fragments of innocence. Goddess of Dawn, and a nameless one." Hevlaska replied apathetically.

"Two? Isn't General Cross the only one who has two?" Lenalee called.

Gently, Hevlaska set her back onto the elevator, he tentacles leaving her side slowly.

"This disciple of God is to bring the field of serendipity and solace through suffering."

"Huh?" Yuuki blurted, it seemed that her every word was making her seem less intelligent.

"It's a prophecy." Komui explained. "It will tell you what will happen to you."

"So…I'll suffer…but bring serendipity?" She queried. Komui shrugged.

"Only time will tell."

Hope you enjoyed, please leave me feedback and tips in the review box. :)

The next one will be out ASAP.

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Sorry, still grounded, I managed to do this chapter at school. Haha. Anyway, thanks to Wind in Your Whiskers, Glon Morksi,and Starforce119 for reviewing!

Glon Morski: Serendipity means a sense of solace, and or good luck. Thanks for your feedback on the chapter names, and once again Thanks for reviewing! :)

Autumn: I don't know about the prophecy it was like 11 Pm or something and I needed to sleep so I just made it up. I may change it later. Thanks for the review. :)

Starforce119: It was already explained in one of the chapters when she swallows her innocence and the one she was safeguarding to protect it, and yes it will be further explained in later chapters. Thanks for reviewing! :)

Disclaimer: Don't own D, Gray Man

Ps. I'd still like more feedback on the Chapter names. Thanks.  
_

After coming from rather traumatic experience with Hevlaska, Yuuki trudged up a hallway trying to find Allen or Lenalee; even the hyperactive Lavi would have made for some good company.

"The Order is such a frightful place…" She muttered to herself, experiencing the longing for the security she only found near her master.

"No, no, I'm over that" She murmured, hitting her forehead with the heel of her palm.

"You shouldn't do that." Came a voice from behind her, Yuuki probably jumped a foot before turning to recognize the voice of the violet-eyed Lenalee.

"Hi, Lenalee, where are Allen and Lavi?" Yuuki looked around trying to spot the rather flamboyant shades of red and white hair. If only there was anyone around, it seemed as if the whole Order's population was gone. "Where is everyone?"

It took a few seconds for Lenalee to answer. "They're…around." She smiled innocently as if nothing was wrong.

"Alright." Muttered Yuuki, accepting the fact that she wasn't going to squeeze a single ounce of information out of the Chinese girl. "Can you at least tell me where the kitchen is?"

Lenalee immediately stiffened at this. "Umm, why don't we go to your room? I'll help you settle in."

Yuuki's room was just like any other of the stationary rooms for exorcists. It was filled with meager furniture, a wooden desk, chair, bed, cherry wood dresser, and small nightstand. The bed was pushed to the corner of the room, near the balcony, the desk was next to the door, and a dresser with eight drawers lay on the other side. Already, the remainder of Yuuki's clothes and possessions lay in a small leather suitcase sitting atop the bed's white sheets. There was only one window in the room, and it opened to a small balcony. From it, a view of the wilderness was clearly visible, over the dense tree line one could just make out the outline of the ocean.

"I'm next door, and Allen is a few doors down to your right side. The bathrooms are down the hall, I'll show you later," Lenalee explained.

Then Yuuki and Lenalee set to unpacking her few belongings, as they dug through the suitcase they recovered some presents from her master, and a few other nick knacks from her many years of travel.

"What's this?" Lenalee asked, gesturing to an ancient Minoan mask, and a small ring made of an iridescent material.

"It's an ancient Minoan dance mask and a ring said to charm animals, they were presents from my master." Yuuki replied, setting a shiny Prosobranchia shell she had found while in China.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Lenalee trailed off.

"Don't be. I accept he's gone." Replied Yuuki, arranging an array of small pressed flower petals, exotic Zephyranth petals, and the large petals of a blue rose she'd seen while hunting in Finland.

Yuuki took pride in showing Lenalee some of the more strange items from her collection. The first was a bottle of water from the so-called fountain of luck in Ireland; it was in a simple glass bottle with some designs of sunshine and rainbows, classic Irish art. Next was a silver cross with flared sides that she had gotten from the Pope when Yeeger went to visit him. After, a small music box from Russia that played a song called 'Elfin Lied,' it had a small design filled lid and sides. Finally, the last object of speculation was the bracelet she received from Yeeger on her fifteenth birthday, Lenalee took a while inspecting the intricate charms and decorations. Afterwards, Lenalee let Yuuki into her room to show some of her possessions, a necklace, a bottle of spray that would blind any advancing offender you would like (pepper spray) and some other strange things that her brother had gotten her for self defense. While spending the time together, Yuuki learned that Lenalee was sixteen years old, and was brought to the order as a young child. Lenalee learned that Yuuki was, despite her size, fifteen years old.

"You know, you don't look fifteen." She commented once.

"Really?"

"You're too small."

"What?!" Yuuki exclaimed. "I am not small!" Internally, she was smiling, only her friends would consider her small first, and not extremely foolish. The two new friends laughed, and clapped each other on the back.

Yuuki and Lenalee walked down the hall.

"Where are we going? Didn't you say you would show me the rest of the order?"

"We're almost there." Lenalee shouted over her left shoulder, but didn't stop her brisk pace. When the two reached a closed set of double doors, Lenalee reached, and put her hand on the knob, she pounded on the door softly, as though she though Yuuki wouldn't notice.

"Close your eyes." She ordered. With not much choice, Yuuki obliged, and shut her eyes, then deciding the more effective solution, covered her eyes with her palms. Unknown, to her, Lenalee smiled and opened the doors, with a brisk push; she shoved Yuuki into the room.

"Okay, now when I say go, open your eyes." Yuuki heard a rustling through the room as if someone was trying to discreetly run errands.

"Now…. open!" Yuuki took her palms off her face, only to see the flashing of multiple party streamers, and the activation of the light switch.

"Surprise!" All the people in the room shouted at the same time. They were standing under a banner that read: Welcome, and Happy Birthday Yuuki Yeeger! It had big flamboyant font and colors, and about 10 feet wide.

"Welcome to the Order." Smiled Komui as he handed her a mug, on it read the words Yuuki, and in parenthesis, read Yuu-chan in curly script.

"Yuu-chan?" Yuuki murmured to her name, everyone expected her to have some nostalgic reverie, but instead, she burst into a fit.

"Finally! I'm not short-stack anymore!"

I felt like ending it with a bit of comedy. Thanks for reading, please review!

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Thanks to Wind in Your Whiskers, Glon Morksi,and Starforce119 for reviewing!

Glon Morski: You're welcome, and I'm not quite sure how to draw Allen to Yuuki yet, I'll get on that as soon as possible. Please keep reviewing! :)

Autumn: Haha, hope you're still alive to give me more advice, right? Try not to die of sleep deprived-ness.

Starforce119: Can you tell me what you don't get so I can try to further explain it?

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man

PS. Does anyone have any ideas on when Allen and Yuuki will start liking each other, cause I have no idea...yet. Please give me your advice! :) By the way, this was more of a funny chapter, the story was getting too serious. Oh and if anyone has any ideas they're willing to share, please put it in the review box, or PM it to me. I'd like to have some reader's opinions on some parts of the plotline.

Yay! 20,000 words! I'm one fifth of the way to 100,000!

"Short stack?" Questioned Lavi, the dark smirk on his face made Yuuki feel the need to turn around. "It couldn't be that, oh I know! You were called Short-stack!"

"Ummm, I…. no…. it, uh" Yuuki sputtered many incoherent phrases before acknowledging that she couldn't come up with an intelligent response. "Yeah, it was…"

"Was?" Grinned Lavi, "What do you mean? Short stack?" Yuuki flushed a bright tomato red as some of the people that were close enough to hear started laughing. This included Lenalee, Komui, a few scientists, and of course, Lavi.

"Darn it…" mumbled Yuuki, hanging her head. Joining the Order may not have cast off her ridiculous nickname after all.

"Aww, cheer up Yuu-chan." Allen said, trying to bring her from the pit of misery she had fallen into. "Why don't we go get some food?"

"Fine…"

When at the table, Yuuki just sat and watched as Allen wolfed down several plates of food, carpacchio, spaghetti, breadsticks, barbecue, Korean rice cakes, fried rice, and just about every other type of food.

"You sure eat a lot…" She stated.

Allen sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, you want some?" He proffered a piece of mitarashi dango toward her. "It's really good."

Sighing, Yuuki plucked a piece off the untouched stick. She inspected the squishy pink ball filled with red bean paste before taking a bite. "Its really good, who made it?"

"The chef, his name's Jerry."

At that moment, a nervous looking woman came over, she had curly brown hair, and dark rings around her eyes.

"I'm Mi-Miranda, its nice to meet you."

"Ah, hello, I'm Yuuki." The two shook hands, and then a tall exorcist stalked over, a white stripe adorned his hair. He introduced himself as Arystar Krory the Third.

"See? Remember when you first got here? I told you this place isn't too scary." Allen teased after about twenty people had introduced themselves.

"Guess not." Yuuki admitted, disliking the fact that she had been proven wrong. In her moment of confusion, she tilted her mug backwards, and ended up hitting a small robot on the head.

"Oh! Sorry." She apologized to the small robot. It was then she noticed Allen and all the other staff members had retreated to about ten feet away. Others had vacated the room completely.

"What's the matter?" She called to them. They didn't respond but were all pointing fingers at the small magenta and gray robot behind her.

"Komui! Why are you here?" Someone shouted from the group.

"Eh-heh, I've learned that people should take care of their own messes." He chuckled from somewhere to the left. "Good luck Yuuki, don't die on me!"

"Why would I die?" She shouted back.

"Never mind, just run!" Shouted Reever from somewhere in the crowd.

A clanking noise drew her attention from behind.

"All of you are unsightly, I'll clean you up. You!" The thing shouted, pointing a crablike leg at Yuuki, "You have no muscles!"

"What…?" Yuuki raised an eyebrow, deciding to take advice and back away. Nonetheless, the robot began advancing on her, clicking its pincer like legs. "What is this?" She screamed, breaking into a run for the door, that is, before two mechanical claws caught her from behind.

"Advancing…muscle enhancing surgery."

"No!" She screamed, scrambling for freedom. Yuuki managed to crawl for its forbidding grip only to have it switch its hold to her feet. It lifted her into the air, and dangled her, headfirst toward the ground.

"Starting operation." It droned, starting for the door.

It took a few moments after it left the room for the exorcists to register the situation.

"Wait…it said..." Allen started.

"Surgery…" Lavi continued.

"Doesn't that mean its going to…" Lenalee murmured.

"Yuuki! We'll save you!" The three shouted, sprinting for the door.

Thanks for reading, please review!

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

I would like to thank my many reviewers for their input on the last chapter.

The Lady Cries: Don't worry, my apology that you didn't like the story was in fact, very sincere. Thank you for not _flaming _my story anymore. I would appreciate any tips you have to offer. I'm afraid a BETA is impossible, I tried finding one, but none of my friends are willing to at the moment.

Glon Morski: Thank you for helping me through a hard time in my writing life. :) Oops, I didn't know the note gave off a meaning like that, I'll fix it. And now, here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy! :)

ViolentxLove: Thanks! I hope you enjoy the next chapter! :)

Wind in Your Whiskers: Finally! I got back! Here's the long awaited (and not) chapter 15. Oh, and don't worry, I'm getting over it rather quickly. I hope you enjoy the chapter, it was like 11:00 Pm when I typed it up because I couldn't wait to write anymore. :)

Vaey-san: Yuuki's not Spanish. Obviously if you read, it would have been clear that's just where she was _found._ I tried adding some more of the character's thoughts in this chapter. So I hope that satisfys you a bit.

FireyFlames: Thanks for the tip. I tried to touch on some of their more useful tips in this chapter. (I'm no that great at incorporating the thoughts of characters so it may look a little sloppy.) I'll definitely try to put in more character thoughts though. Please enjoy the chapter. :)

CL 9 3 11 0 05 ( I hope that's right, it not, sorry!): Don't worry, I definitely will update more often than once a year. :) I'm happy that you enjoy the plot line. I'll try to improve my writing, so please continue to review! :) Enjoy the chapter!

MeKillAllenandLavi: Thank you for the compliment, I hope you enjoy this next chapter. :)

Disclaimer: Don't own the story.

Ps. My writing may be a little sloppy, I'm a little out of practice. But please continue to review, and give me tips and feedback. :)

"You…are evil." Were the first words out of Yuuki's mouth when they managed to wrestle her from the Komurin Mini, and take her to Komui. "Who in their right mind makes a robot like that?" Yuuki lifted her face to glare at him.

"Well…I did warn you not to get killed." Komui laughed, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, and looking genuinely concerned for his well-being. The last time there was an incident involving one of his robots malfunctioning and causing mayhem in the order, Lenalee had kicked him from the twentieth floor all the way down to the second.

Currently, Komui was stranded atop the observation deck. Below, the Komurin Mini lay in disarray, the head was broken to one side, and some of the limbs had blown up altogether. So in short, the machine was a pile of rubble. '_Heh, this is rather amusing…' _Yuuki thought, marveling on how a simple-minded thought managed to throw Komui into such a pool of fear. _'I'll play with it a bit.' _A small smirk appeared on her face.

"Huh, don't you think that we should get some sort of redemption Allen, Lavi, Lenalee?" Yuuki's voice was hard, but contained a light edge.

Lavi grinned evilly, Lenalee simply shook her head and laughed, a demonic smile spread across Allen's face.

"Here's the pitch Lavi!" Allen shouted, snatching the balcony, and Komui altogether, and hurling them at Lavi. Yuuki's eyes widened.

"_**Earl, here comes the pitch." He tossed it to the top-hat wearing man, and he responded by pulling Rero out, and batting the fragment like a baseball.**_

"_**All that work for nothing." He muttered, staring at the falling dust, his hand was over his brows like a visor.**_

"_**What about the brat over there?" The Earl gestured toward the fallen girl.**_

A loud crash directed her attention back to the present, Yuuki peered over the side of the railing, below Komui had fallen in a heap, but not before saving himself by catching a railing. Crying pitifully, he started muttering curses to Allen and Lavi. He then stumbled off, probably to wallow in his self-misery.

"Is he okay?" Yuuki murmured peering over at the retreating figure.

"Nah, he's fine." Lavi slapped her in the back. "What'd you? Short Stack has a sense of humor."

"Lavi-kun, that's not nice." Lenalee reprimanded.

"So?" Allen and Lavi were doubling over in laughter.

Still chuckling to himself or herself, everyone went to rest in their respective rooms.

Morning came with the sun peeking over the horizon, and light spilling from the gap between the curtains. Stretching, Yuuki completed the morning routine, and was just about to dress when a black coat caught her eyes. _An exorcist's attire. _"That's right," She thought. "Today, I'm an exorcist." Smiling fondly, she left for breakfast. On her way out, she caught a glance of the Chinese exorcist, she shouted her salutations.

Lenalee greeted her in return as she walked out of her room closing the door behind her with a faint _click_. "There a new mission for me, you and Allen," Lenalee explained. "So, let's go see my brother to get briefed." The two exorcists walked down the long hallway, towards Komui's office (Which was avoided by most people who didn't think drowning in paperwork was amusing.) Yuuki looked around as she walked; taking in the sights as she wondered if this mission was to collect innocence, or exterminate Akuma that were posing a problem to some village. Lenalee opened the door to Komui's office; both of them walked in, and Komui greeted them seriously (which was rather amusing considering the many lumps and bruises that dotted his head.) As they took a seat, the door opened once again and Allen trudged in, apparently recently roused from sleep. Yawning into his right hand, he took a seat beside Yuuki. Allen crossed his arms, his eyes were smiling as if recollecting the chain of events from the night before. Komui still had bruises to show for it.

"Alright, now that we're all here." Komui shuffled his papers, "We've been receiving many messages from the Earl saying that the time has come for him to make a real move. They're going to try to locate the heart. The death of…" He looked at Yuuki. "Yeeger was just the forerunner." Glancing over to the black haired exorcist, he noticed that she had stiffened at the mention of the deceased general.

"Are you alright Yuuki?" Questioned Lenalee, leaning over. She didn't speak, but nodded rapidly.

"So what's the mission?" Allen asked quickly, desperate to get off the personal topic. He glared at Komui to emphasize the importance. Deciding to ignore him, he continued to explain the situation.

"The Cube doesn't say anything about how to locate the heart, or its characteristics. For all we know, it may have already been found, and placed into a host. The Earl thinks that a particularly powerful exorcist contains it, and may try to destroy them one by one. The marshal was their first target. THe Noah clansmen who came with the Akuma were no doubt sent to offset his strength. Even at their level of skill, one could not hold off all the Noah Clansmen. In order to protect the remaining generals: Cloud, Sokaro, Tiedol, and Cross, we've decided to assemble all the exorcist we have, and split them into four groups to protect the generals." He folded his hands beneath his chin. "So, Yuuki, Allen, and Lenalee, I'd like you to meet General Cross.

Allen groaned, much to everyone's attention, his eye was twitching as if remembering some horrid monster, and not some general. It's too bad no one else had had him for a master.

The next day, we all boarded a large ship bound for Liverpool. It was large, and obviously fancy, many of the guests were high-class executives, or other rich people. Yuuki stood with Allen at the top deck overlooking the ocean while Lenalee went to make reservations for their lunch.

"It was quite a shock to see Grampa die wasn't it." Her voice was far off and detached.

"Yes…he actually treated me like a student. I never thought a marshall could be so kind." His voice took a dark turn, it was obvious he was now thinking about Cross.

"I always thought they were selfish, mean, abrasive and heartless people."

"It seems like Cross really did a number on you." Yuuki laughed. Allen moaned and sighed.

"Ugh, just thinking about it makes me nauseated and woozy!" He tilted dangerously backwards.

"Are you alright Allen?" Exclaimed Yuuki, catching him as he leaned too far to the back. "It's time to go meet Lenalee."

Once the dining hall came into view, a green haired exorcist was visible against the startling light colors of the tables, walls , and all the other things.

"Allen! Yuuki! Over here!" She shouted, gesturing them over. They sat at the table and made their order, as usual, the waiter was astonished with the capacity of the black hole everyone at the Order called Allen Walker's stomach. Once he left, Allen continued to gripe about Cross.

"Why me?" He groaned, leaning his head on the table.

"It's because you're his student, think about what my brother said" Lenalee said, trying to comfort him.

"_**He's been out of contact for four years. He may be dead, or maybe he's just wallowing in pleasures, and shirking his duties. There are many rumors floating around. Personally, I'm leaning toward the latter, but now we have you Allen!" Komui stood, and started in a mad fit of laughter. "He's as good as caught!"**_

"So why did you decide to go to Liverpool right off the bat?" Asked Yuuki,

"I remember there was a woman there who my master used to date." Replied Allen

"Date? Like a girlfriend?" Inquired Lenalee.

"Well…more like his sponsor. Have you ever met my master Lenalee? Yuuki?"

"Hmmm, well I saw him a long time ago, at headquarters."

"Nope, but I've heard enough to be very frightened." Replied Yuuki.

"Well, Lenalee, I'd better tell you what kind of person my master is." Allen's brows were drawn downward in a sheepish, yet nervous, yet serious expression. A sweat drop rolled down his face. Lenalee gulped.

"When did you meet Cross?"

"It was three years ago, after I'd destroyed the Akuma that my father had become."

"I'm sorry, I'm bringing up painful memories." Apologized Lenalee.

"Not at all, it's what came after, that was really painful."

"Was Cross's training really that harsh?" Said Yuuki, tilting her head to one side.

"No, it wasn't its just…" Allen stiffened, and began to shiver, a purple tone found its way into his face. "His spending habits were horrible." Yuuki finished for him. Smiling inwardly. 'Lenalee's in for one huge story…better sit back and enjoy.' Yuuki mused to herself.

Hope you enjoyed, please review!

-Z.

Ps. My teachers are piling on the work I've missed these last two weeks, so the next chapter may take a few days. ( A week at most.) Please stay tuned!

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Thanks to the people who reviewed. :)

**Glon Morski: **I'm glad you liked it, and I can't wait for the Crown Clown part. Though I am trying to come up with stuff that isn't on the original plot, but I probably will be the same overall story, just replace a few people here, add a bonus part here, and a few extra scenes that never happened. I hope it's not a problem the big parts will still be there.

**Vaey-san: **Okay, in this chapter I've cleared up the Yuuki name thing, I hope its to your liking. About the chipper part, I wasn't sure how to write about it, and that's actually how it happens in the anime, so I'm sorry if you don't like it, but Lavi and Kanda don't get their prominent parts until later. Once more thing about the Yuuki thing, originally I gave her that name for a plot twist but I removed it later after figuring it was too Mary-sue. In this chapter I tried to make Allen more "manly" and include more of Yuuki's personality. In chaper 11 it says Barcelona, but I just put that because no one knows where she was born, Yeeger just stated where he found her. Ps, I will try to get off the canon storyline scenes soon.

**Sakra-chan: **Thanks for the tips, I'll try them out. Oh, and I did end up finding one of my friends, she just says she won't pay much attention, so it probably will look the same, oh well. :)

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man, just Yuuki Yeeger

Ps: Sorry for the long wait, I was trying to figure out how to give Yuuki's name a clearer background, :)

"Well," Allen began, clearing his throat, "It all started about three years ago…"

Allen relayed his three years of 'training' with Cross, only to his horror that women were actually attracted to Cross's, well…uselessness, cruelty and harshness.

Allen spent the good part of a half-hour telling Lenalee about why no one in their right mind likes Cross, except most women. This unfortunately included Lenalee.

After Allen's flashback was complete, a good twenty or so woman crowded around him, telling how _amazing _or _cool_ General Cross sounded, even Lenalee agreed. Now, Yuuki was definitely not a member of the group of girls, squealing like six year olds that just received a bag of salt-water taffy. She was busy naming off every reason in her head why anyone, and everyone should not be gushing over Cross.

"He's weird, he's a womanizer, and he's lazy…" She started, numbering them off on her fingers. Lenalee, who sat next to her stared skeptically back at her,

"Hey, I'll go back to the room, it's a little loud in here." Lenalee told Yuuki, who nodded.

"What are you doing?" Shouted Allen from amidst the crowd of women.

"Nothing! Just focus on escaping!" She shouted back, Yuuki couldn't even see Allen; there were too many flamboyant dresses, colossal hairstyles, and waving arms. But, after a while, the mob started to disperse, and Allen reappeared, worse for wear, his uniform was wrinkles, and his hair was in complete disarray.

"You're evil you know that…" He muttered, grumbling under his breath, sweeping invisible dust off the sleeves of his uniform.

"I know, isn't it awesome?" Yuuki replied; a grin plastered to her face.

Dawn was just breaking over the horizon when Yuuki awoke, and climbed to the deck.

Fifty-five minutes were required for one to traverse the top deck. During this time, Yuuki took advantage of the silence to reflect on the happenings the past few weeks. She had joined the Order, Yeeger had died; Goddess of Dawn had reformed into a crystal type (a brand new category of innocence according to Komui) and Valkyrie's Vigil for the wings. So much had happened in only a wing beat of time, a single lapse in the second hand, and a grain of sand dropping into the bottom chamber.

What of the people she had met? Were they worth the passing of her beloved master? To Yuuki, Allen, Lenalee, Lavi, Kanda, and the members of the Order were valuable friends and wonderful comrades, but would she trade them for her master back?

"Oof," She exclaimed as she accidentally crashed into someone,

"Oops, my bad Miss." The voice came from before her, a tall light skinned man with swirly glasses, and a mop of curly black hair. He extended a gloved hand to her, a gentlemanly gesture. "My name's Tyki Mikk, what about you, young Miss?" Unsure of what to do, Yuuki acted on instinct, and told him.

"Ahh, Yuuki, that's your name? I believe it is a variation on the names Louki and Yyst, from Norse Mythology." Baffled, Yuuki blinked a few times before realizing someone had actually realized that her name (for once) was not recognized as a purely Japanese name.

"Yes…how did you know?" She stuttered.

"I'm quite familiar with the story of Louki the elfin warrior of Odin, and Yyst, the Storm Bringer Valkyrie." The man informed, studying his fingernails.

Yuuki's name was derived from the U and Ki in Louki and the Y from Yysy, making Yuki, which could them turn into Yuuki (meaning _Pure One_) when an extra U was added, exactly the genius that Yeeger had come up with.

"You're knowledgeable…sir." Yuuki mumbled, unsure of what to say, the man had a certain aura.

"Please, call my Tyki." Yuuki excused herself and went back to the cabin, something about the man didn't seem right, it was almost as if his aura was demonic.

"Tyki, did'ya see her?" Road asked, kicking her legs against the bed opposite to her's.

"Yes," Tyki replied shutting the top on his suitcase, and turning to look at Road.

"This is boring, what do you say we cause some trouble?"

"Sounds great," The two Noahs, grinned maliciously.

Oh yeah, and Yyst and Louki are actually real people in Norse Myths. (Though they're sometimes spelled differently.)

Please Read and Review, thanks for reading!

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Thanks to the people who reviewed. :) I love you guys. :)

Sakra-chan: Thanks! I would try to go back and fix it, but I accidentally deleted the file, so...oops. I'll try to keep it next time. Keep giving me advice please :).

Glon Morski: Well the way I figured it was that most of the attention would be taken off Lenalee, cause that's where she gets the most time with Allen, so I didn't want it to come off as semi AllenxLenalee. Also, I made it so that Goddess of Dawn didn't work anymore (you'll find out in this chapter) so I guessed it was fine, if it really bothers you, I may go back and change it...but I'm really lazy these days, sorry. About Tyki, well in the anime, Allen didn't recognize him without his pale skin, so I made it the same way for Yuuki. Thanks for the review, hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

Wind in Your Whiskers: I figured that Cross just met Yuuki sometime when she was traveling with Yeeger. I dunno, maybe she just heard about him from Yeeger, I haven't thought it out yet. Sorry. Oh and I'm sorry if this poses a problem, but I'll be abroad this summer with my mom. I'll try to update, but we aren't bringing out laptop, so that may pose a problem to typing, I'll try to update as much as possible before I go though. :)

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man, just Yuuki.

**BIG NOTICE!**

I'll be going abroad starting a few days from today with my mom, so I probably won't be able to update for about seven/six weeks ( I know its TERRIBLE.) So don't lose faith in me, I won't stop writing, but the story will be probably postponed till I get back. I'll try to update ASAP before I go though. :) So please check back. :)

The chaos started just after sundown, after most of the passengers had retired to their individual rooms. That was when the Akuma came to play, or so to speak.

It started as a small gunshot, followed by a piercing scream, rending the silence of night. It only took that much for Allen, Lenalee, and Yuuki to bolt from their beds and run for the upper deck. A tall Akuma stood to greet them, a stout legged, burly thing with large bat wings and a sadistic grin plastered to its gray skin.

"How are you?" He asked, taking a bow as if it was the end of a performance. "The evening is lovely."

The tension in the air could be cut with a butter knife. Already, many other Akuma had begun to swarm the deck, blocking out all the sky. Allen's arm was acivated, as was Lenalee's Dark Boots. However, for Yuuki, she could only use Valkyrie's Vigil. Komui had made it clear that Goddess of Dawn wasn't working; any backfire could potentially kill her. She wasn't about that to affect her battle; Valkyrie's Vigil was in effect, so she hovered a few centimeters off the ground, a light glow coming from the wings. Lenalee's boots gave off a green light, as did Allen's.

"My my, isn't this little Yuu-chan herself?" Came a voice from behind an Akuma, he was leaning on the side of one of the other one, and a familiar girl hovered over him with an umbrella.

"Sure is, and it looks like my little doll hasn't gotten all of her features yet…darn." She smirked evilly.

Recognition crossed Yuuki's face, though no one could tell, it paled just a bit past its normal color.

_At that moment, the moonlight caught the figure of a small girl sitting atop the shoulder of one of the larger level twos. "Who are you?" Yeeger pushed Yuuki behind him. _

"_Road Kamalot." She replied, twirling her umbrella over her head. _

"_Tyki Mikk," Answered a tall man with a large top hat. Yeeger narrowed his eyes, and stared suspiciously. "Yeeger, if you please, I'd like all the innocence in your possession." Tyki Mikk said, donning his hat, it was more of a statement than a suggestion. "Do you honestly think I'd give it up?" Yeeger replied, shaking his head. "That's why we brought these super powerful Akuma, a quick fight would be fun," She smiled eerily, "So I'd like to see how long you last."_

"_I'll finish this quickly." Stated Tyki, he burst forward and tried to send a butterfly shaped violet orb toward Yeeger, he managed to avoid the first one, but Tyki burst through the dust, and struck him in the chest, the explosive seared into his skin, and he screamed loudly. Finally, the light faded from around him, and he collapsed to his knees. Summoning the last of her energy, Yuuki set her last few orbs to doppelgangers, they each summoned their weak orbs, and attempted to shower Tyki and Road in explosions. Using this diversion, Yuuki hauled her broken body toward her Grampa._

"No…." Came a murmur under Yuuki's breath. "Not him…" Somehow, nine hundred or so meters away, Tyki smiled, his pointed teeth giving him a devilish expression.

"Oh yes, its me. Remember?" Yuuki's usually nice expression contorted into a facial appearance of pure anger.

"You! I'll kill you!" She flew toward him in a mad flurry of wind.

"Yuuki!" Lenalee yelled. "Don't be rash!" No one heard; the darkness enveloping the ship was too deep to penetrate. The war upon the ship had begun.

"What's wrong girly?" Tyki taunted, avoiding the razor sharp gusts of wind she sent at him. "Your face isn't pretty when you scowl you know…" He trailed off suggestively.

"Shut up!" She screamed, diving at him. Valkyrie's Vigil was in partial effect, lighting the deck, and giving light to Allen and Lenalee who were fighting below. The wind she just released cut into his black tailored suit; he didn't bleed, but he frowned.

"Bad, bad girl…" A tease butterfly made its way to her back, and cut into it, drawing a scream from her lips, not fatal, but definitely painful. She was about to plummet, but she managed to catch herself on one of the boilers on the ship, and surge back into flight. The blood trickling from her back gave off a red stream that fell to the ship below. Anyway below would have had red splatter on their face, and induce probably years worth of therapy. Raining blood? Nope, but it was definitely about to. She let out another gust, which, once again was dodged by Tyki.

"I was going easy on you…but I liked this suit so…Goodbye." The devilish smile crossed his face again. He snapped, and a rumbling emitted from the vessel below.

The ship exploded.

Bits of the boiler, and wood flew in all direction; the screams of those who were awake filled the air. But the thing Yuuki was worried about, were Allen and Lenalee all right?

"You bastard." She seethed, spitting out the words as they were venom.

"Thanks, I appreciate the comment." Tyki told her in a nonchalant way, picking at something under his fingernail. Already, the oil atop the water caught flame, and fire drifted atop the black sea. The bodies of dead passengers littered the roaring waves that drifted them further and further from her sight.

**BIG NOTICE!**

**I'll be going abroad starting a few days from today with my mom, so I probably won't be able to update for about **_**seven/six weeks**_** ( I know its TERRIBLE.) **_**So don't lose faith in me, I won't stop writing,**_** but the story will be probably postponed till I get back. I'll try to update ASAP before I go though. :) **_**So please check back.**_

Best Regards

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Thanks to the people who reviewed. :) I love you guys. :) By the way, this is a REDO chapter with some modifications to some grammar and spelling mistakes. Only a tiny bit of the plot is changed, also, "Ellizia's" name has been changed to Eliza.

Sakra-chan: Thanks, I went back and fixed it.

Glon Morski: I will eventually...I have a pretty good idea when. About the Akuma, I meant for it to seem that they came onto the ship right as the gun was heard, maybe like immediately, or something like that. Sorry if it seems weird. What I mean is that Lenalee was always with Allen after the Akuma battle, and she even fell asleep on his shoulder, so I was thinking about giving less time with Allen for Lenalee, and replacing some of her moments with Yuuki's. Sorry if it doesn't make sense though.

Wind in your Whiskers: Oh, I'm not sure...oops, didn't notice that he introduced himself. Darn. Oh well, I'll just think that maybe it was really loud and she didn't hear him or something.

**VERY VERY IMPORTANT BIG NOTICE! PLEASE READ**

I'll be going abroad starting a few days from today with my mom, so I probably won't be able to update for about _**seven/six weeks**_ ( I know its TERRIBLE.) S_**o don't lose faith in me, I won't stop writing, but the story will be probably postponed till I get back. I'll try to update ASAP before I go though. :) So please check back. :)**_

"Well, dearie," Tyki started, still nonchalantly picking at his fingers, "it's time for me to take off. Bye." He waved as if Yuuki were his friends or something. Shortly after, a heart shaped door appeared behind him in a flurry of wind. Still waving, he and Road stepped through the door, and as it was fading away, Yuuki heard the words:

"Get all your features soon, Yuu-chan." Obviously the comment was from Road, after all, who else would use humans as playthings?

"What?!" Yuuki screamed at the door, "come back here and face me!" But it was too late; all that was left was the black sky, flames, and churning waves.

Morosely, Yuuki dove down near the waves to skim the waves for her comrades, hoping against hope that they were alive.

Morning came early, and the rays of dawn peeking over the horizon caught a figure in the water. Yuuki sat upon a small chunk of wood from the ship. The night of searching for Lenalee and Allen had worn her out, and the corpses that stared at her through lifeless eyes were a bit unnerving. All night she hadn't found a single other living person.

Most were hypothermic after falling in to the freezing water, some had burned to death, and some had fallen into the propellers, inducing a more painful 's Vigil was inactivated; she needed to save her energy in case she found Allen and Lenalee, and maybe she could just fish them out of the water. Already, that thought was dying before it even left her mind. Yuuki sighed and tucked her head between her knees; the seasickness was getting to her. Or maybe it was the collage of dead bodies; she would never know. Waiting was pointless; the only thing left to do was to leave or fly away. Hopefully her memories of Allen and Lenalee would follow in suit, and that they had found peace in Heaven. She would do enough Akuma-annihilating for the three of them.

Another explosion racked the chaotic street. Debris was flying everywhere, and it was too dangerous to fight long ranged like Valkyrie's Vigil allowed her to. Yuuki was speeding past the scores of people running to the so-called 'safe house.'

"Girl! What are you doing? Get to the safe house!" A gruff man shouted, barely audible over the sound of the chaotic street.

She frowned at this, but her displeasure replaced with horror as a little girl stood crying a block behind, scanning the chaos filled streets for her mother. [Frightened at the sight, and of the Akuma that were still advancing, she shoved a neighbor aside, pushing her way out of the mass of people towards the child. She sped past the chaos and ran until she was kneeling down to the crying girl, picking her up in her arms and quickly darted away from the incoming forces. She inhaled some dry air scurrying towards an empty alleyway, placing the small girl.

"Go find your mother, it's not safe here." But the girl wasn't listening; her green eyes stared at something that hung at her chest that reflected a glimmer of light off her eyes. Startled, she glanced down. Though she was relieved that she wasn't hurt, her turquoise gaze was at her crystal choker.

"Its shiny…." The girl murmured, staring at it in what was probably awe.

"It's a secret," Yuuki told her, winking, and putting a finger to her lips. The girl responded the same way, and put her fingers to her lips.

I'm good at secrets. What is it, big sis?" She asked. It wasn't as though she knew the girl, but most people in central Europe tended to call each other brother and sister. She didn't get a chance to answer. The Akuma shot one of its virus-infected bullets at her and the girl. In the nick of time, Yuuki managed to whip out her wings and shield the two of them from the shower of shots. Awe once again appeared on the girl's tanned face.

"I'll you later, okay?" Yuuki asked, and the girl nodded rapidly. Before running off, she turned her head and shouted.

"By the way, my name's Eliza! You have to come look for me later!" Then her green eyes left Yuuki as she sped into the crowd.

"Children these days…" Yuuki mused, pulling her gloves a bit tighter over her fingers. "Activate! Valkyrie's Vigil." She shouted into the gray sky. The wings grew larger and fanned out, then she took to the sky, leaving a shower of silver feathers behind.

"What do we have here?" An Akuma screeched, its rabbit-like lop ears bobbing as it nodded its head. "I know! Let's play! The loser dies!" He (?) dove toward me, ears flapping behind him like a cape. The irony of the situation was that for a fluffy metal, demonic bunny he was starting to become just a cute.

What he didn't expect was for Yuuki to dive under him and send a wave of wind surging through him, and rending him into ribbons, which then proceeded to explode.

"Whose next?" She called out to the other Akuma. Groaning amongst themselves, they began to move toward her, only for the pouring rain to constrict the ten or so closest to her. She snapped nonchalantly, and the water became something like acid, it sunk through their skeletal armor, and then they all burst into pieces, showering the town below in metal.

"Thank you Ms. Exorcist!" The mayor of the town said to her, kneeling in front of her. For the past twenty or so minutes, the towns' people had been on their knees thanking her, and she had been trying to stop them.

"It's fine." She reassured sheepishly, suddenly embarrassed about the attention she was receiving. In the end, they begged her to stay in the village for an extra three days, and oversee some of the rebuilding.

That night, Yuuki lay awake in her bed. What had happened to Allen and Lenalee? Did they real die? Since the incident about one and a half weeks ago, Yuuki had been lulling herself into denial. They weren't dead, she would think. They definitely got away. Sighing to herself, Yuuki stared back into the night; the shadows grew monstrous in the dark. Her eyes wavered; she jolted, trying to fight the incoming forces of sleep, a battle she knew she would lose. Yuuki's headed nodded; she shook her head loftily. The night was silent, only filled with the small evening breezes coming from the open window; her eyes stared in the shadows. Whether she had closed her eyes in sleep or was still staring, she saw only the darkness, and the tortured expressions Allen and Lenalee must have worn when the ship had exploded.

Thanks for reading please review!

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

I live! Finally! I got back last yesterday at like…2 AM, and I'm still sleeping off over 13 hours of jet lag. Ugh. I'm sorry for the long wait, but since its summer, I'll be able to update at least one time a week. J I hope I didn't lose any of my awesome reviewers, if so, I hope you'll continue to read my story.

Wind in Your Whiskers: Thanks. I originally wanted to do a lot more blood and gore, but the problem is that I'm not that great at gory stuff. I'll try harder though. Sorry about the spelling mistakes, I had to post it without rereading it because I was leaving the next morning at 3 AM so I had to go to sleep. Hope you'll still read Wild Flowers now that I'm back!

Sakra-chan: Thanks so much for the advice! I have to say though, almost all of my sentences had something wrong with them. Sorry about the mistakes (I hope you didn't spend too much time looking it over for me,) I had to post it without rereading it because I was leaving really early the next morning. I hope now that "Wild Flowers" is off hiatus that you'll continue to read on!

Glon Morski: Hmmm, you have a valid point…anyway whatever about that subject, thanks for the thought though! Thanks, I'm glad you liked the last chapter; it was really hard to write. Originally I was sticking pretty close to the original storyline, so it was hard to come off the main track, and move onto an original sequence of happenings to better develop Yuuki's past. Now that Wild Flowers is back, please continue to read and leave feedback!

Hibari-chan: Thanks for waiting for an update! Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Yuuki: I'm glad you like her name! Thanks for reading and please continue to tune in!

Blacktiger93: Thanks so much for the compliment! I hope you like this next chapter!

AkaMizu-chan: Thank you! I'm so glad the story caught someone's attention! Thanks for waiting so long for the next chapter, please enjoy!

Violentxlove: Thanks; please enjoy the next chapter and thanks once again for waiting so long for the update!

Whew! That was a long list of review replies. Anyway, there have been a few EXTREMELY minor changes in chapter 18, most of them were about the grammar and spelling, but the girl that Yuuki saved has had her name changed from 'Ellizia' to Eliza. Also, I remember a lot of complaints about Yuuki's name in past flames, and one person sent me a rather long message about how much she/he hated the name during my trip and that actually gave me an AWESOME idea, so thanks to whoever sent the message. J Well without further ado, here is chapter 19. I do apologize for the inexperienced writing (including any grammar or spelling errors,) it has been like…7 weeks since I wrote anything long. So once again, please leave feedback and point out any noticeable errors if you wish!

Oh and there have been a few minor modifications to this chapter.

Yuuki awoke with her covers tangled around her and one of the corners balled up against her face. Though she honestly wished she could deny it, she had drooled just a tiny bit onto the sheets. So one could only imagine the embarrassment of a maid shaking you in the morning when that type of sleeping position was present.

"Miss Yukki?" Like a lot of the townsfolk, they had been taken to saying Yuuki's name completely wrong. It was actually the same with most of the Order members too, it wasn't that she didn't like the name; Yuuki was just too troublesome to pronounce for some people.

For example, common mispronunciations included 'Yucky,' 'Yukki (like the maid had just said,)' and 'Yooky.'

"Miss Yukki? There's a phone call for you…the master took the liberty of calling your organization to thank them. They'd like to talk to you." Yuuki cracked an eye open to show the maid that she was indeed awake. Groaning, she climbed out of bed and donned her Order uniform. She yawned into her right hand as the maid escorted her to a rather formal looking parlor, a phone sat on the cedar desk and a leather swivel chair sat behind it. In her opinion, it seemed a bit much, the walls were decorated with awards and pictures of famous people shaking hands with the mayor. For example, one of the plaques on the wall read "The Mayor of Penbryn would like to thank Joshua Cranmer (the mayor) for being the citizen of the year." or "The Mayor of Penbryn would like to award this plaque to Cameron Cranmer for being the most handsome man in town." All the other awards weren't that far off, in his ever 'impressive' armor of wealth Mayor Cranmer, Yuuki had begun to sense large hints of self vantity.

"Hello?" She muttered as she held the earpiece to her head. "This is Yuuki Yeeger."

"Yuuki? Thank god you're alright!" The other line shouted almost instantaneously.

"Who is this?" Yuuki asked through the mouthpiece. Whoever it was seemed to ignore the comment, and continued to talk.

"When Lenalee called me, I was so worried!"

"Wait…Lenalee is okay?!" She shouted into the phone, "Where is she?! Is Allen okay too?!"

"Calm down, she just called me from Liverpool. They're fine, it's you we're worried about, where are _you_?"

"I think I'm in England…" Yuuki admitted sheepishly, even though she had arrived in the town early yesterday morning, she still hadn't asked where she was. Yuuki had just flown into the harbor during the wee hours of dawn and scared ten years off every sailor's lifespan.

"Yuuki…" The voice murmured (now she was definitely sure it was Komui.) "You do know that England is over one hundred thousand square kilometers right?"

"Yeah…" She thought to herself, "Definitely Komui." After asking the maid (and receiving a very puzzled glance,) Yuuki discerned that she was in the diminutive port town of Penbryn in the Cornwall district. According to Komui he had to get a map before he figured out where it was, along with that, he found that it was one of the smaller towns in England. Yuuki spent the next five or so minutes telling Komui about the Akuma attack the day before, and how there were so many level twos present, she also told him of the two Noahs (Tyki and Road) that had confronted Lenalee, Allen and her. After Yuuki finished, both of them sighed gloomily.

"Well, I'll send Lavi and maybe either Lenalee or Allen to meet you. There's a report of a possible Innocence sighting in a town called Falmouth, about forty kilometers to the south."

"Sure, you should look around the town a bit, considering the situation, make sure there aren't any Akuma hiding amongst the people, and also, check for brokers in the town, Allen and Lenalee found one in Liverpool, and Kanda discovered one in Bulgaria. If they continue to do as they wish, things would be real bad." They bid farewell, and Yuuki hung up the phone, and put it back into its hanger.

Flashing a smile at the maid as she left the parlor, she made her way back to her room, after shutting the cedar door behind her with a small '_click_' behind her, she collapsed onto the desk chair. For the first time in days, the tight feeling in her chest loosened, and a small giggle escaped her lips. The chortles escalated until she was roaring with laughter, anyone passing by her door would probably deem her mentally insane. Twenty four hours worth of pent up anxiety, and worry flowed out in a gushing stream of maniacal laughter.

"Thank god!" She sputtered between guffaws, "Allen is okay…I don't know what I would've done it he actually…" Yuuki trailed off. "Wait Allen?" She thought, mentally slapping herself, "What am I talking about, thank god _Lenalee _is okay, I don't know what I would…"

"Note to self…" She thought, "stop talking to myself."

At breakfast, the mayor's constant stream of chatter filled the air, it was almost homely. But, unlike breakfasts at the Order, his topics were usually centered around five things: how successful he was, how handsome his eighteen year old son Cameron was, how beautiful his wife was, how the last mayor was a deadbeat, and finally, how he had cultivated the town from some wastebasket into a famous port town. Yuuki nodded and made a comment, but mostly tuned out his self-centered chatter, and focused her attention on the plate of toast, and eggs before her (of course, on the finest china plates, the Mayor was out to please the Black Order.)

As interesting as his constant banter was, Yuuki was reluctant to tell him that up until arriving in Pembryn, she had never heard of it. The only part of his speech that particularly caught his attention was the part about the previous current mayor (Cranmer) had taken his place about ten years ago. Mayor Forsythe had been a corrupt doctor who managed to seize power when the previous one died of an unnamed sickness. According to Mayor Cranmer, he had killed his family of two daughters, a son, and a wife, then proceded to commit suicide. What could bring a human to that level...? To kill one's own flesh and blo-...

"Yoki?" Said a voice that brought her from her pit of thought (she was too lazy to correct his mispronunciation,) Cameron was rudely waving his hand in front of her face, and his face was leaned close to her's, as impolite as it would seem, Yuuki was reluctant to tell him that his breath smelled of dead fish.

"Huh?" Yuuki replied lazily, swiveling her head to the right in order to look at his self-absorbed face. An upturned nose, a large mouth, and a pair of rather beady green eyes. "What?"

"Are you mesmerized by my good looks? You've been staring" He asked, leaning his chin onto his upturned palm. Yuuki resisted the growing urge to insult him, or at least wipe that smug grin off his face. She had been looking at the tablecloth, what on Earth made him think she was looking at him?! He leaned in all of a sudden. "Meet me tonight out in the courtyard, I'll give you what you want." Then he excused himself from the table, throwing a wink at her as he left the room. Yuuki resisted to throw up the breakfast she had just eaten.

Thanks for reading, I'll try to get the next one out as soon as possible, so please review and continue to tune in!

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

Hello to my awesome/beloved/totally cool reviewers. (That didn't make any sense I know.) Oh well.

James Birdsong: Thanks, I'm glad you like it, please continue to tune it. :)

Glon Morski: Yeah, I'm sorry, the last chapter sucks (not that this one is that much better...) Yeah, I also noticed that (hehe, that's jet-lag getting to me,) so if you go back and check, I've changed some parts so that it was the Mayor that called the Order. I don't know someone does it in one of the episodes too, so I'm guessing a lot of people have the Order's phone number. Oh yeah, another plot device I forgot...heh heh I kinda forgot to give Yuuki a golem. Sorry. Anyway, I wanted to ask you something about a potential plot twist, but if you don't want to, don't read the note at the end.

afallenheart: :) Well, here's the update. Hope you enjoy! :)

Wind in Your Whiskers: It's okay. :) Hope you do well on your exam. Yeah, I also noticed the too many OCs thing, but only a few of them actually matter, so I'm only going to introduce like, one or two. It's okay, I do hope you'll continue to read though. Thanks for the reviews you've given so far if you don't. :)

Savage Kill: I know, this chapter will probably make you want to punch Cameron. Thanks, enjoy the new chapter!

Violentxlove: Thanks, I had this friend call her by the wrong name, and I just thought that'd be a rather funny idea to add into the chapter because things have been getting too serious. Here's the new chapter! :)

Vaey-san: Yeah, I added more details in the last chapter, read it if you want. About the name thing (don't read this if you don't like spoilers) it MAY change within the next few chapters due to a huge plot twist I'm putting in. I'm sorry about any grammatical mistakes, I'll fix them ASAP. Oh, and I understand your dislike of Yuuki's name, but I assure you, there may be a plot device that will cause it to change. Hope that won't create any new things you don't like about the story. Anyway, I enjoy reading your reviews, please continue to do so if you feel like it. :)

Sakra-chan: Thanks again! I can't believe I had that many mistakes T_T. Haha, don't worry about the mispronouciation thing, most people who I tell about the story usually get it wrong too. (I did the first few times too. :) ) Anyway, thanks again for the review and please continue to do so.

Thanks again to everyone, and please review or continue to review, it means a lot to me! :)

This chapter is pretty much house keeping for the next one. And a little treat, since I was lazy, and forgot to post chapter 20 last week, I simply just merged 20 and 21 together into a really long chapter (for me anyways.) Enjoy!

Spoiler! (I just need a tip on something, it's not that big of a spoiler.)

Ps. I just need an opinion on something. Which name is better? Thalia Forsyth, Lyra Forsyth, Lydia Forsyth, Lillia Forsyth, or Sera Forsyth. (Which would also sound good with Yeeger?) And also, would it make sense for Yuuki to change her name?

By the way, this is the longest chapter I've ever writter, a whopping 3000 some words (plus the author's note, but still. :) And yes! Finally to 20 chapters!

"How much are the grapefruits?" Yuuki asked the store owner,

"One note a piece." He replied, seemingly bored at the customer, after all, it'd been a slow morning for business.

"How about these apples?"

"One note a piece." She was stuck in a terrible dilemma that a gourmet chef of her vigor should never be stuck in. Pick between the perfectly rounded red delicious apple, or the beautiful vermillion skinned grapefruit. She stood there weighing the two in her head and mentally doing an eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Then Yuuki noticed something that sent a lump into her throat. Blood red cherries, when was the last time she'd seen cherries?

"_Yes Grampa." She exclaimed, happily skipping to her master's side. She held out a bag of ingredients. "There a lot of good deals at the morning market." He peered into the bag; in it were ripe Roma tomatoes, fresh from the vine, seasoning salt, and something rare in that time of year. _

"_Where on Earth did you find a vendor that sells cherries in May?" He asked, he, being an avid cook never though he'd see cherries that were that blood red in May. Yuuki tilted her head, and inclined it toward the east side of town._

"What about the cherries?" She tried not to choke on her words.

"Four notes a pound for a young girl like yourself." The young shopkeeper chuckled, though to Yuuki that was something she'd heard before.

"I'll take it!" Yuuki paid for her cherries and then set off for the next stall. She spent the majority of her morning browsing the market, though she had seen many in her days this one definitely was up in the top five. There was everything to see, vendors selling food, trinkets, jewelry, clothes, and everything else imaginable. Traders were also buying and selling wares, many of them had actually offered to buy her charm bracelet (though the day Yuuki let the charm bracelet go would be after she died.)

Luckily for her, the circus was also in town, she had stopped briefly to watch the acrobats leap through the air and some clowns getting into all sorts of hilarious antics.

Currently, one was balanced on a large wooden ball juggling a few oranges. Then, the smallest clown 'accidentally' kicked it while the other clown was still on top of it. This sent the both of them sprawling on the pavement. The crowd was loving it. One boy even hugged the a clown's leg when the troupe had to leave the stage. Much to Yuuki's surprise, the clown took off his top hat ( it seemed expensive, but then again what did she know about hats and clowns?) and then set it on the boys head. Waving, he left the stage area; only for him to fall flat on his face again. When he arose, Yuuki realized that his gaze was directed toward her, eyes glaring. Smiling sheepishly, Yuuki waved to the retreating performer; she thought about how it was time to finally get glasses. Not only was her bad vision causing her to read books from point blank, but also making her hallucinate.

Yuuki continued into town, admiring the stalls, and occasionally dashing over and buying something. Already, she had bought a suitcase to replace the one that went with the boat, some new clothes (she'd lost all but the clothes she was wearing on the ship,) some trinkets, books, and etcetera. When she had filled her newly purchased suitcase, she ran it back to the house to lighten her load. Immediately after, she went back to browsing the many stalls.

It wasn't long after that she reached the end of the market street, the area that lay before her seemed to be a park of some sort. Rolling hills, a few trees that clustered around the perimeter, a winding cobblestone path, flowerbeds and a fountain bubbling merrily in the center of it all. She was particularly interested in the multitudes of butterflies that flit from place to place. Monarchs, Swallowtails, Yuuki could name them all. "Grampa would like this place" she said softly to herself. Yuuki walked a little further into the park to take a look at the fountain.

"Big sis?" A tiny voice called out. Yuuki turned to the left to see Eliza huddled on a bench, her legs drawn up to her chest. Blood soaking her clothes, the once light atmosphere was replaced with a suffocating one.

"What happened?!" Yuuki exclaimed, kneeling in front of the quivering girl.

"…Nothing much…Mister Cranmer…won't find my family a house…" She seemed to break down at that point, a little girl crying just because she couldn't take it anymore. "There's no money left!" She was sniffling, Eliza buried her face onto Yuuki torso. "Why'd mom die!?" Awkwardly, Yuuki placed her arms gently around the quivering girl and patted her back. She'd never dealt with a crying child, on top of all that, the situation was just plain uncomfortable.

"Calm down, tell me what happened." Soothed Yuuki, taking a seat next to Eliza, who promptly put her head in her lap.

"Well…" She began.

Eliza wept bitterly as she spoke of the gloom that had hung above her head. Her house had been destroyed by a 'devil' (something Yuuki presumed to be an Akuma.) Also, her mother had been (from what she could tell,) struck by an Akuma bullet and disintegrated. Though Yuuki definitely had her suspicions about the mayor fearing for the wellbeing of his people, the current situation was extreme. To not allow a little girl who'd just lost her home and mother a place to live? Had he lost his mind? In a split second, Yuuki made a decision that would probably cause someone to be very angry.

"Hey, Eliza where did you sleep last night?" She gently stroked her hair, the little girl seemed more relaxed already.

"Here." Eliza's reply was rather curt. "Right where we're sitting. It was so cold."

"Ummm…" Yuuki began, sheepishly scratching her head, "Why don't you stay with me for the next few days while we sort out your living arrangements." The petite girl's forest green eyes widened considerable, her tiny hands were brought to cover her wide mouth and slack jaw. The girl was utterly adorable to Yuuki.

"Really? Thank you big sis!" She burst into tears again. Yuuki felt very strange, if Eliza thanked her why was she crying?

"C'mon," Yuuki coaxed, "Stop crying. Let's get lunch."

Yuuki treated Eliza to a lunch of mince meat pie, and a dessert of Yorkshire pudding. She smiled to herself as she saw Eliza happily eating. Looking up from her plate, Eliza smiled back.

"What do you do for work?" Eliza asked, peeking at her from the left side.

"I'm an exorcist." Yuuki replied, she would normally lie, but she had a feeling that telling Eliza wouldn't cause a problem. 'Wait, I work for the Order, with this outfit, _everyone knows. Geez.' _she thought to herself, sighing softly.

Yuuki spent the rest of the afternoon with Eliza, just having fun in the city, Eliza told her a little about the city, pointed out people she knew, she promised that the next day she would show Yuuki her favorite places in town, she spoke with an air of innocent mirth, but when they came upon the edge of the merchant's district of the town, Eliza's face dropped its happy demeanor. Yuuki didn't need someone to tell her that this was the place Eliza's old house used to be. But, to her surprise, she ran down the street and called out.

"Wait a minute big sis! I'll be right back!"

About half an hour later, Eliza came back huffing and puffing. A knapsack slung over her shoulder and a box clutched to her chest as if her life depended on it. She skidded to a stop before her, and Yuuki could swear that Eliza created a dust cloud behind her as she was running.

"Here." She proffered a box to Yuuki, blushing slightly. "I don't have much, but please accept this. Take me with you, make me an exorcist!"

"I'm not sure its that simple." Yuuki said slowly, trying not to crush the determined look on the girl's face.

"Take me to the place you work! I'll do anything. I'm not that great at cleaning, maybe I can cook!"

"You're too young." Yuuki explained gently.

"I'm eleven! I can make my own decisions." Her face suddenly grew morose. "I have nowhere to go. I want to make something of my life." She looked up at Yuuki with watering eyes. "I want to be somebody."

Eliza shoved the box against Yuuki's stomach. "Just take it!"

Yuuki slowly opened the lid, it was two charms, each connected to a thick cord. One was a crescent moon, while the other was a star. It seemed that if you fit them together, they'd make a moon and star symbol, the two points of the moon resting gently on two of the star's tips.

"It's an old town tradition, I'll be honored if you would give me one of them." Eliza was blushing slightly and pouting considerably.

"What?" Yuuki asked, raising an eyebrow. "Tradition?"

"You'll see tomorrow. Which one do you want?" Eliza inquired.

"Which…one?"

"The charms."

"You choose."

"Well," Eliza began. "The set represents friendship through hard times. But, can I have the star?" Yuuki nodded slowly and Eliza reached into the box, and picked up the star charm by the smooth white marble star. Yuuki responded by grabbing the black marble moon. Smiling, the two of them headed back to the mayor's house. Yuuki had forgotten about one other obstacle.

"What the hell is this brat doing here?" Cameron asked, leaning against the doorframe of the house. "I hope you're not adopting lost puppies. Nothing against you and all sweet cheeks." Yuuki felt her temper rise dramatically. "But I don't have a fetish for children," he slurred. Whatever previous good notions (which were scarce to begun with) Yuuki had about him before were utterly erased. He seemed a lot more polite in front of his parents.

"She's only staying until I leave, then I'll take her with me." She argued.

"Still, if she's gonna sleep in your bed, where am I gonna to sleep?" Yuuki felt like throwing up, she was utterly disgusted, and noticed for the first time that he was utterly drunk, he was slurring, and Cameron was probably leaning on the door step to keep his balance.

"I'm only fifteen." Yuuki said, taking deep breaths, trying not to insult the mayor's son.

"That's not a no." He trailed off suggestively. Yuuki snapped, she brought her fist back and punched him so hard that he swayed against the doorframe.

"Fine. Heck no." Yuuki spat, huffing, she left for her room to pack, now, Yuuki didn't usually use bad language, but for a guy like him, one couldn't resist.

"Are you still gonna meet me in the courtyard? " She heard him shout as she was climbing the stairs.

Yuuki could still feel Cameron's shoulder against her knuckles. As much as the thought pleased her, it had one flaw; a flaw that as the more she thought about it, the more that she realized that she wasn't satisfied at all. She wished that she'd hit him twice, maybe three that would have made her feel a lot better. Eliza, who was standing behind her accelerated to stand to her left and grinned.

"You sure showed him," She whispered, Yuuki smirked.

After they reached Yuuki's room, she immediately began putting the few things that she had taken out of her suitcase back in. But she also dug in and found a green dress with a conservative collar and a row of buttons going down the back, she'd bought it just that day.

"How about you wear this?" Yuuki tossed the dress to Eliza. "You can't walk around looking like that."

"Miss Yoki?" Someone said from the door, "Where are you going? If this is about my son's inexcusable behavior, I assure you I will deal with it in the correct manner. No reason to leave." It was Mayor Cranmer, but at the end of his statement, his face grew dark. "I'm sure our accommodations are sufficient. You wouldn't insult on my hospitality to leave like this, would you? Miss Disciple of God." His green eyes were steely and narrowed. If only looks could kill, the two of them would be smoldering craters.

Thanks for reading, I'll try to get the next one out as soon as possible, so please review and continue to tune in! Hope you enjoyed the extra long chapter! :)

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

ar, so I don't have much free time.

I'm also kinda happy because according to a test I took (Mary-Sue Litmus Test) and she scored a: "Borderline-Sue. Your character is cutting it close, and you may want to work on the details a bit, but you're well on your way to having a lovely original character. Good work. So I need to find ways to make Yuuki less of a mary-sue."(.com)

Hello to my awesome/beloved/totally cool reviewers. (That didn't make any sense I know.) Oh well. XD One more thing, the info from the last chapter was from on d. gray man divinity. net for some reason the link was taken out and I didn't notice. Sorry about that.

James Birdsong: Thanks :). Please continue to review!

Violentxlove: I know right? The situation was too tense so I couldn't resist putting in something a little less serious. :) Anyways, please continue to tune in and review!

Sakra-chan: Hmm, I'd love for you to be my beta, but I'm not sure how that works on fanfiction, sooo I dunno. As always, thanks for all the corrections, I'll fix them ASAP. Please continue to review! :)

Savage Kill: Thanks :) I love how Cameron is just getting continuously bullied. XD Well, its his fault anyways. Please continue to review!

Vaey-san: Well, I respect your opinion, so continue to review. After all, I need feedback from people that don't like it as well as the people who do. Thanks for the tips. :) I've tried to add more detail in this chapter and I hope it please you to some extent. Enjoy :)

Glon Morski: Thanks :) Please continue to review! :) Oh oops, Yuuki isn't the shortest, sorry about that, didn't notice Bookman was on the list. Oops. Really? Your b-day is June 23rd? That's cool!

Yuna: Thanks :) Please continue to review!

Earl Gray Tea:Thanks and please continue to read and review!

Yuna #2: Thanks :)

Yuuki Here: Thank you for the tip, and please continue to leave feedback! :)

0Infinity0: Its okay. :) Thanks for the review! Please continue to leave feedback! :)

LittleKittyShaoMao: I'm sorry about the grammar mistakes, I'm only in middle school. So, uh sorry. Thanks for the rest of your review, I'll try to follow more of its tips from now on, in this chapter, I tried to incorporate more of Yuuki's thoughts. So thanks for the feedback and tips. :)

Soulless Ghosty: Thanks. Here's the next chapter, please continue to review! :)

Ichinori: I am SO sorry about that. I didn't notice that the link got taken out, it was originally posted in this sentence "PS This info is from "." Except for Yuuki's of course. :) Enjoy!~" But where the two quotations out, dumb FF took out the link. So very sorry about that mistake. Thank you for pointing it out.

Whew, that was the most reviews so far. So, please enjoy the slightly longer than usual chapter! :)

Her eyes opened glancing around, a dull ceiling of white stared drearily back, and the whole room smelled of perfume as if some had emptied a whole bottle somewhere. Slowly leaving the warmth of the soft covers, Yuuki held up a hand to rub her eyes, a muffled yawn left her lips, and she raised a hand to cover her mouth.

After the little spat with Cranmer the night before, so Eliza had been rather quiet going to bed, at around nine, a maid led her to a spare room. Yuuki thought about taking her back into town to take her mind off the little argument 'Oh well,' she thought 'We'll just play for a bit, and she'll forget all about it.'

Smiling to herself, Yuuki dressed in her uniform to go meet her. As she left the room, a maid was waiting for her outside the door, a feather duster in hand, and a rag in the other. Upon seeing her, the girl ran up the hall, she stumbled at on one point, but kept running for some reason. Shrugging to herself, Yuuki decided to find Eliza's room herself. It was a while later before she realized her mistake.

"Not good, not good!" She chanted in her brain swerving another corner, Why did his mansion have to be so obscenely huge!? She grumbled under her breath. Her footstep tapped a little louder as they ran across the floor. Deciding the getting lost was not high on her list of priorities, she skidded to a stop once she came across a maid exiting a room. Or so she thought, it was really a woman with long blond hair, and an expensive pendant at her neck. It was the mayor's wife; only she had a maid's bandanna on her head.

"Oh!" She exclaimed once she caught sight of Yuuki, "What're you doing here?" Her voice was filled with genuine curiosity. But, she seemed to be hiding something because she immediately closed the down behind her; however, the area between the two doors still had a small crack

"I was looking for Mayor Cranmer." Yuuki said slowly, trying to crane her neck to see into the room behind the mayor's wife.

"He's…" she moved herself in front of the crack once she followed Yuuki's stare. "Out. I'll show you to the dining room of you'd like." She smiled at Yuuki, but it seemed more like a forced grimace. Secretly, Yuuki imagined a rod stuck up the woman's back. Unable to contain herself, a chuckle slipped out.

"Excuse me? What do you find so funny?" Yuuki bit her lip to stop laughing and keep a decent facial expression, mentally composing herself, and adding a few more amusing thoughts in her head about people that had rods up their backs, she put on a serene expression.

"I'll pass. Where's Eliza?" Yuuki asked, the woman stiffened instantly as if someone had prodded her in the back.

"Oh, I believe Joshua took her to look at his awards."

"Can you lead me to them?"

"Uhh," the mayor's wife looked desperately around her. "Why don't we eat first? He doesn't like to be disturbed."

"Alright…do you know when he'll finish?"

"Uh…before noon," she replied, "I guess." She continued in a sheepish voice.

"I'll wait." Then Yuuki turned backwards and pretended to know what direction her room was in.

"Hey,"

"Whose there?" Asked Yuuki, obviously the voice was Cameron, but Yuuki couldn't believe that he had the nerve to come within six feet of her after what had happened to him the last time he had made an unwelcome advance.

"Let's play,"

"Hmmm, no." Yuuki replied bluntly.

"C'mon I haven't had a drink since this morning."

"It is morning."

"Oh whatever, after all, gin is good drink anytime of day." He ran a bit to catch up with her, his beady eyes following her movements, but never her face.

"What're you staring at? Go away." Yuuki sped her pace a bit to try to gain a distance between him.

"No." Yuuki decided not to warn him about the stairs ahead and just kept walking. His malodorous alcohol breath was beginning to make her gag anyway.

"Aww, that's cruel, you should at least give me-" he gagged like he was about to vomit. "A kiss."

"I'll pass."

"C'mon babe why not." The stairs were right underneath him now.

"Cameron, do me a favor."

"Anything for you babe." He took a step, and fell in a heap down a few stairs. He could be heard groaning near the bottle of the stairs.

"Don 't call me that, _ever_ again." She looked down on him and sent him the most evil glare she could muster.

Yuuki's eyes turned towards the unpleasant shadows and quickly, (aware of the pair of eyes that were watching,) ran towards where the noise was coming from and where she would find Eliza. The dark corner of the garden seemed like the least likely place for a girl to be. In other words, most likely Eliza was there.

"Eliza? Are you there?" She asked the darkness. There was not answer but the slight shuffling of feet.

She continued. Walking toward the darkness, and the slight shuffling noise.

It was only about two steps away when a slight laughter burst from the spot. Little Eliza hopped out with her hands behind her back and a grin plastered to her face.

"Ha!"

"Why you little…" Yuuki put on a scary expression, and put her hands on either side of Eliza's face. Then she roughly tweaked her cheeks. One questions nagged her mind constantly after that though, the mayor didn't seem like one for jokes. After all, Yuuki was a sore loser in hide and seek.

"Don't you think that was a bit harsh?" Eliza complained, rubbing her sore cheek.

"Hmm? No." Yuuki replied bluntly, puffing out her cheeks in a snobbish manner. "How about we go have lunch at-" she didn't finished her sentence.

It was then there was a gruff shouting on the shop a little ways up the road, the door violently swung open.

"And stay out!" Screeched a voice to the side, practically tossing two people out onto the busy street.

A red haired boy stood up quickly and shot rapid apologies at the man. It was the other boy however that pulled him away from the door with a quick apology over his shoulder. When he turned, Yuuki noticed a silver cross over his left breast pocket. An exorcist's emblem, and the other boy had one too.

"Lavi? Allen?"

"Yuuki?!" The two shouted in unison? Eliza looked thoroughly confused, looking between the two of them, as Yuuki awkwardly gave each of them a small hug. After letting go, Yuuki made the situation even more eccentric.

"Why'd he throw you out?" Lavi and Allen weren't expecting that question; they were thinking she would say something along the lines of missing them, or etcetera.

"Lavi flirted with his wife." Allen told her bluntly.

"She was WAY to young to be his wife!" Lavi exclaimed, waving his hands to show how earnestly he believed it. Even though Yuuki hadn't known his long, she'd almost expected his answer, and sighed. They stayed silent for a moment before Allen's stomach growled loudly, and he bent over and blushed.

"Let's go, I'll treat you to lunch." She escorted them sublimely a dinner ironically named '_Lymeracthe Diner" _which couldn't potentially be a misspelled French word, or an anagram of Clergyman.

As always, anagrams always came easy to Yuuki, she'd started with simple word searches given to her by General Yeeger; especially on long trips when he and the finders couldn't take any more of her '_are we there yet_' or anything along that line. Eventually she worked up to crosswords, and other word puzzles. When you're on the road often, those things become second nature.

"What do you want, I'll go get our food," she said, Allen smiled at her offer.

"Thank you." Yuuki snickered, and then waved his off thanks with a flick of her hand.

"Please, it's nothing. Just tell me what you want and I'll deliver the order."

Quickly, he told him what she wanted: a mug of water, a dozen of biscuits, a few plates of seafood, and lastly, an assortment of their cheesecake.

"Is that all?" She asked, noting his order down in his head. She nodded affirmatively.

He laughed nervously; scratching the back of his head sheepishly. Anyone else would find his appetite just a bit disturbing. However, as a cook, finding someone who loved to eat, and had the appetite of a small village, was like Elizabeth Bathory finally finding the fountain of youth.

"Yeah." Yuuki turned to Lavi and Eliza next, taking both of their orders. After the food arrived, Eliza took one look at the mountain of food disappearing off plates quicker than she could pick up her fork; she set her utensil down and announced she wasn't hungry anymore. Then she excused herself to the bathroom, and told them, that she would meet them outside in about five minutes, puzzled by her answer, the three agreed and paid their bill.

The trio stood outside the café patiently waiting for Eliza to exit. However their attention was diverted when a small black cat sudden sprang from the top of one of the shop tarps, and landed in front of Yuuki. Lazily, it stretched out and licked its paw nonchalantly. Yuuki flinched; she had a bad experience with animals, especially ones with claws. Not much to her surprise, Lavi bent down to stroke its ears, but the cat hissed, and unsheathed its claws. All of a sudden, it leaped and landed in front of Yuuki. Its hackles lowered.

"I think it wants you to pet it." Allen observed, watching the cat's golden eyes staring up at Yuuki. If only he's seen the evil intent as well.

Sighing, Yuuki bent down, and stuck out her hand, but in her mind she was fretting about losing her hand to the horrible jaws of the cat, or even worse, losing the charm bracelet on her wrist to the cat. After all, there was a seashell charm; the cat may mistake it for something edible. Before she could change her mind and retract her hands, the cat's neck shot forward and snatched the bracelet.

"Hey!" Yuuki exclaimed trying to it from cat's mouth, already, some of the people on the street were staring at the strange display, a teenage girl trying to pry a bracelet from an animal ten times smaller and failing. Yuuki thought about how embarrassing it was, not being able to win tug of war with a cat.

All of a sudden, the cat gave a particularly hard tug, and the clasp broke open, and the cat scampered down the street with the charm bracelet still clamped in its mouth. Before it bolted, Yuuki swore that she could hear a purring as if the cat were proud of itself.

"I'll be right back." She shouted over her shoulder over, then she sped after the disappearing shape of the black cat that had rudely stolen her jewelry.

Once I corner the cat, I grab him. She snorted, irked at the situation in hand, fearful of losing the bracelet, and ran after him. Her boots thudded against the ground, creating clicking noises, which the cat continued to run away from. As she rounded another corner, she slid to a halt. It was quiet, her head turned back. She couldn't hear the crowd anymore, it seemed to be an abandoned part of town, and there was only a small church a little ways down the road surrounded by an iron wrought wall. The air she breathed in seemed chilly, she glanced up, and the sky was a morose shade of gray, almost black. The moment of distraction gave the cat time to bolt for the church area, and the area behind it. Yuuki could even hear the jingle of her charm bracelet as the wind rushed past it. The one piece left from her master gone. If anything, Yuuki wished to chase after the cat, but the gate was closed, and the ten feet to the top of the gate looked tricky to climb. Actually, if anything Yuuki wished to use her innocence to soar over the gate, but the situation would be an offense to God, using his power to chase after a cat. Which had stolen her most prized possession, but still, a cat. Almost lifelessly, Yuuki stumbled back onto the road to the main part of town, dejected at the situation and loss of her bracelet.

It was then a small cluster of statues by the side of the gate to the grave site caught her eyes, Yuuki walked over slowly, trying not to trip over the stones jutting out of the path.. It was a man with three children (two girls and a boy,) and a woman by his side, seemingly his wife. At the bottom near the man's shoe, inscribed into the black stone were the words.

"Mayor Forsythe, savior of Penbryn, this graveyard, still tended to this day by his wife is the last memento of his…." All of sudden someone grabbed Yuuki's arm rather roughly.

"Lyra is that you?!" It was a woman with white hair, and crazed teal eyes; her face donned a black veil as if mourning someone's death. Yuuki didn't answer but the woman pulled away a split second later. "Guess not, Lyra is gone…" She started back toward the open gate. "Ten long years! Never to come back again, never to see her…" Her voice was drowned out as she walked further away, and the winds carried off her voice. She forgot to close the gate. At first, Yuuki thought about following the woman, but she seemed a bit strange, and decided against it. However, her thoughts directed back to the open gate, hadn't the cat gone it? Could she still catch it? Deciding to go against her gut instinct she stalked into the graveyard, and bumped into yet another statue within four meters into it. A man stared down at her, the same one from outside, and the children. It must've been Doctor and Mayor Forsythe. She decided to continue reading the inscription.

"_Father, husband, leader. Here lies Alexander Forsythe, may her forever rest in peace. Died age 35."_

The next one, a small boy read,

"_Brother, son. Here lies Matthias Forsythe, may he rest in peace. Died age ten."_

Then there was a girl, by her statue, she had short curly hair, and a rather round face.

"_Sister, daughter. Here lies Diane Forsyth, may she rest in peace. Died age nine."_

The statue after that one was the most grotesque. The head was missing off of it, and pieces of the gravestone were worn as if someone had tried to scratch it out. However all that was legible was:

"_Lyra Forsythe…" _and the only other legible part were the words, _"Died too soon, almost five years old."_

"Poor girl…" Yuuki murmured aloud. Then, deciding to abandon her quest for the cat (though she told herself she would resume it later for sure, ) she headed back into town where Allen, Lavi, and Eliza would be waiting. She silently walked to the gate, and glanced back at the grave, and sighed.

Expect an update soon, but I'll be gone in California next week, so it'll be out ASAP.

Please review and give feedback! :)

-Z. :)


	4. Part 3

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**ar, so I don't have much free time. I'll repost this chapter later after it's edited. So, BE WARNED this is the unedited version of this chapter.**

I'm also kinda happy because according to a test I took (Mary-Sue Litmus Test) and she scored a: "Borderline-Sue. Your character is cutting it close, and you may want to work on the details a bit, but you're well on your way to having a lovely original character. Good work.

So I need to find ways to make Yuuki less of a mary-sue.

_**Sorry about the lack of good scenes. I was trying a new writing style this time. So I'm sorry if it sucks, I'll revert to my old one for the next chapter. :)**_

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow. I promise from now on, there'll be at least three updates a month. :)

ViolentXLove: I'm so sorry about the spelling mistakes, my Microsoft Word has been down so I haven't been able to spell check properly. I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review! Oh, and thanks for the compliment :) I'm glad I actually got it to be spooky, it was touch and go for a while. :)

Savage Kill: I know right? I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review! But, I did put a lot of jokes about Lavi into this chapter just for you! :)

Glon Morski: I am so, so SO sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Oh, oops, I didn't want to leave the profiles there because the numbering would get off, but I'll try to put Yuuki's back okay? Yeah, I noticed the bottle thing while I was rereading and smacked myself in the head, I think I fixed it already but thanks for pointing it out. :) I dunno XD You'll have to keep reading to find out. XD

kawamoyashi: Thanks for the review, but I'm sorry you'll have to wait a bit longer for the Allen and Yuuki stuff. I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review! :)

Peter the Otaku: I dunno, maybe...XD Thank you for your review! I got the idea originally when I was rewatching the series and Timcampy gets eaten by the cat, so I'm glad you noticed. :) I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Soulless Ghosty: Thanks for the review, and I hope this chapter qualifys as good stuff. I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review! :)

Yuuki: Thanks for your enthusiasm. :) I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Sakra-chan: Thanks for the edits! And I'm sorry this was posted before you got a chance to look at it, but I haven't updated in about a month, and I wanted to let some of the anxious readers read it even if it hasn't been edited, I'll repost it later. :) Thanks again, :) I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Satou Kimura:Thank you, I wanted to introduce Yuuki first before just getting into the Allen thing I hate it when that always happens. So thanks for noticing. :) I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Serenie-beanie: Thank you so much! It's always nice to see a new fan, and I promise you'll be seeing more of the kitty in this chapter. :) I am so sorry about the late update but please continue to read and review!

Whew, that was the most reviews so far. So, please enjoy the slightly longer than usual chapter! :)

After her failed chase of the thieving black cat, and wandering into the depressing cathedral on the outskirts of town, Yuuki had returned to the town center with a heavy heart. But, she was quick to forget part of her problems when she came upon Lavi, Allen, and Eliza exactly where she'd left them. Already, the short-lived peace had broken, and Lavi held Allen in a headlock. She wasn't aware of what dilemma they were arguing about, but Yuuki was quick to break up the fight with a smack to the head for each of them.

"I can't believe it, that rotten ol' man kicked me and bean sprout out…" Lavi grumbled with his arms slung behind his head.

"My name is Allen! Well that's your fault if you haven't noticed, you were hitting it off with his wife,"

"C'mon don't argue, we'll find an inn in another part of town," then under her breath, Yuuki added "preferably an innkeeper that is a guy, and doesn't have any women living with him." Finding this funny, Allen starting chortling, leaving the onlookers on the street wondering an insane asylum was needed.

"That's not funny, I told you, she didn't look a day over twenty five!" Lavi insisted, waving his hands madly in front of his face.

"Oh? Tell me, how old are _you_" Came the remark from Eliza, smiling darkly. This promptly put a lock on Lavi's mouth; for a while anyway, he obviously felt no shame afterwards and admitted something.

"I like older women you know."

"I've noticed." Yuuki responded curtly.

"Where'd Moyashi go?" Lavi asked all of a sudden, putting a hand to his brow to block out the sunlight streaming into his eyes,

"Allen?" She turned in a full one-eighty circle, "Where did he go?"

Sometime while she was speaking the boy with the black hole stomach went off to buy food, and since there wasn't much on sale on the clothing street, he gave up and came back with six tomatoes.

"Why tomatoes?" Lavi asked, relieved that the attention had been shifted off of his fetish for older women.

"They taste fine," Allen replied, biting into on, sending a squirt of red juice onto the pavement.

"I want one." Eliza pouted, Allen looked reluctant to part with on of his Roma tomatoes, but handed one over once he saw the unapproving look that Lavi and Yuuki were making toward him. Unfortunately, after he handed one to her (a small one at that,) she bit into it, and a stream of juice landed on her dress; causing Lavi to slap his forehead in exasperation.

"I'll take you back to the house to get changed." Yuuki offered, but Eliza nodded.

"I'll go back on my own, I have something to do,"

"Are you sure?" Allen inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'll see Yuuki when she gets back." Eliza took off running toward the mansion afterwards, waving over her shoulder; the stain in her light green dress was still dripping a pink juice.

"Did she say you were staying somewhere?" Lavi asked, noticing for the first time,

"Yes," Yuuki relayed everything that had happened since she arrived, and told them about the things the mayor had told her.

"This sounds kind of suspicious."

"I know." It was then, a small presence seemed as if it were following them, Yuuki hadn't realized earlier, but now it was definitely there. Yuuki craned her neck behind her to check, but seeing nothing (like in most horror books,) saw nothing. They walked for a bit afterwards, occasionally, she would turn her head to check again, but still said nothing.

Now, the trio was approaching the end of the clothing street, Yuuki checked behind herself one more time, relieved when she saw nobody following her. Maybe it was her imagination? But what Yuuki didn't see was the black tail that trailed behind a building just as her head turned. The unmistakable tail of a black cat, and the tinkling sound that followed it; coming from a violet and blue Zephyranth and a small gold and pink and Prosobranchia shell clinking together.

It was long into the afternoon when they finally found the other inn in town. Since Penbryn was on the smaller side of the spectrum of town sizes, it only had two inns. One of which Lavi had already been kicked out of. The other one was called The Good Grace Inn, hopefully they followed what their name suggested and would find the heart to ignore Lavi's inappropriate comments toward beautiful women.

The old married couple, who said they'd been in the business since they'd been married, ran it.

After they arrived, they took a room near the west side of the inn, overlooking the hills, also where the mayor's mansion was located.

Yuuki let Allen and Lavi go up to their room to get comfortable and drop off their things. She was sitting on one of the barstools that sat in front of the long counter where guests could eat breakfast. A painting of a family sat comfortably on the wall. A man, a woman, and three children, it was a moment before Yuuki realized who she was looking at. It was Doctor Forsythe, his wife and his family. She could vaguely recognize the faces of the children (except for Lyra,) who'd also had their faces on the statues, and the woman looked just like the crazed person she'd met at the old cathedral. The children had seemed to have inherited the teal eyes of their father, and the blonde hair of their mother, except for one. Lyra had the auburn hair of her father that hung off her small frame in two long braids.

"Like the painting eh?" The innkeeper's wife asked, cleaning the inside of a beer glass with a rag. "That's our previous mayor you know?"

"Really?" She found this an excellent situation to glean more information on the topic. "I've heard lots of stories, but none of them seem to match?" She smiled afterwards to add to her naïve demeanor.

"From who?" The woman asked, setting the glass down with a faint clink on the counter.

"Oh, just Mayor Cranmer, and his son."

"You're not…allies with them are you?"

"No, why?"

"Because then I'd have to ask you to leave, it's a good thing you're not."

"Why is that? He seems to hate whoever the previous mayor was, and said a lot of bad things about him." Yuuki pondered, scratching her chin with her index finger.

"If you'll sit down, I'll be happy to set your facts right." The innkeeper's wife smiled warmly at the four of them. "No matter what Cramner has told you, he was definitely not some monster. Mayor Forsythe was the one who saved this town at his own risk. You see, about seventeen years back, there was a terrible plague upon our small town, since we were such an insignificant piece of the country, our government didn't bother to send doctors, or medicine. Instead, a man named Alexander from one of the neighboring cities moved to our village to try and help us, even if it meant putting himself at risk, and leaving his family behind in his village.  
If you ask anyone in this village old enough to remember, it was as if God himself came to help us in the form of a handsome young doctor, it doesn't seem like much, but when we were all dying and no one cared enough to help, it was like a divine intervention. He just rode into town square one day with a small carriage, full of medicine he'd bought with his own money from his own pockets." She sighed as if remembering a fond memory.

Yuuki hmphed and said nothing. The spark that lit her eyes seemed to fade as if she seemed to have wanted to hear a better story of what happened. But there was still a spark in the innkeeper's brown eyes that proved that there was a different part of the story. Maybe something that could prove useful if, just _if _they could pry it from her.

"What happened after?" Yuuki asked, tentative with her words, and afraid of offending the woman. At first, Yuuki was convinced she wouldn't answer, but after a while, the woman took a deep breath and continued her story.

"He moved his family to this place, said he couldn't leave Penbryn. H-" she hesitated for a second before continuing. "He had a wife named Laurel, and a daughter named Diane. There was also a son, Matthias I believe his name was. When they first arrived it was only those two children, ages five and three. But, about half a year after they moved into town, Laurel got pregnant with a third child. On a cold day in February, their third child was born, a little girl named Lyra. I remember how pretty those eyes were; you know, I haven't seen a pair of teal eyes like that until now."

"Now?" Yuuki asked, tilting her head, "who?"

"Why, you, dear. Your eyes look just like her's, why; you look a lot like her. She had auburn hair just like your's as well. With your similarities, I would have thought you were a grown up version of her." The woman smiled softly as if recalling something pleasant. Maybe it was the soft laughter of children that never got a chance to grow up, maybe not.

"Really? What did the rest of the family look like? I believe I've seen statues of them around town." Suddenly, the woman's face darkened,

"You didn't go to the abandoned cathedral did you?" Though just a moment before, her tone had been less than mirthful, it now had a steely atmosphere as if afraid of something.

"No," Yuuki thought to herself that lying would be the best way out of the situation.

"Good," all the tension was void from the air. "I wouldn't want the ghost to get you, anyway, what was your question again dear?"

"That's not important, did you say _ghost_?

"Yes, it's the ghost of Laurel, ever since the _accident _ten years ago,"

"Accident?"

"You don't know? Everyone who comes to visit this town does. Don't tell the mayor I told you though."

"Why can't Cranmer know you told me?"

"He's the cause of it all, they say that ten years ago, he made pact with the devil. He preys on the weak and sells souls to the devil. Everyone thinks it's a myth, but anyone who is from this town knows it is the truth. One day, when Mayor Forsythe took his family on a day trip to the woods, a horde of monsters attacked them. He and his three children died, but Laurel managed to escape by flinging herself into the water; then swimming back to town, she told us the whole story. But, about five years ago, she suddenly disappeared, and someone reported that her ghost was haunting the old cathedral where the graves of her family are. Yuuki nodded, making a mental note to check out the cathedral with Allen and Lavi when they had the chance. Of course, being a teenager, ignoring common sense and disregarding the warning the woman had just given her.

A looming shadow made Yuuki blink as in front of her; a large building began to tower over them. It was dark somehow in the sun yet magnificent all the same. Its structure captivated her with a mysterious beauty that was unknown to her. When she had been at this very place earlier, Yuuki hadn't drawn near to the actual chapel; now when she stood in the shadows cast by the fading sunlight, she couldn't help but gasp. Next to her, she heard Allen give a similar reaction, whereas Lavi was busy occupying himself with a string of curse beads said to ward off ghosts. She wondered why he had taken up the occupation of bookkeeper if his tolerance for the supernatural was just as much as a superstitious four-year old. She inwardly sighed in order to no offend Lavi by the comment she was just about to make.

As soon as he spoke, a voice sounded from the halls followed with quiet footsteps. Yuuki tilted her head curiously. A middle aged woman walked around the alter talking to herself, her hair white and disheveled. This was probably Laurel, a completely different person than of the picture they had seen of her from a decade ago. Her face was void of the pleasant smile she'd seen in the portrait, and her hair had been light to begin with, but now it was just plain white. The black dress was still on her, and she was mumbling to herself as she paced about, as if waiting for some mystical being to suddenly pop out of the fireplace.

"Are we supposed to be here? I don't like the feelin' of this place." Lavi mumbled, holding his curse necklace up. It was as if the woman heard him, because just a fraction of a second later, she'd sprung and landed in front of the trio, scaring Lavi to the point where he backed up and hid behind Allen.

"Lyra! You've come, where's Diane? Oh you've come just in time, daddy said he'd take you two to the beach just like old times, right?" When no one from Yuuki's side answered, she continued in her crazed monologue, hands moving animatedly around.

"Oh you've gotten so tall, how could you have not visited us? They told me you were dead! Dead to the world, but no, here you are, and you'll stay with me won't you? You wouldn't leave your elderly mother along would you?" She'd grabbed the front of Yuuki's Exorcist coat in exasperation. Yuuki tried to back away, but for every step back she took, Laurel took one forward. Allen and Lavi weren't helping they were somewhat cowering by the entrance, but, Allen seemed a bit apprehensive and his Akuma eye was spinning around restlessly. It could only mean one thing, something was amiss, and Akumas had come to play.

"What's this?" Laurel had murmured, pulling at the Rose Cross sewn onto her coat. Her face had darkened considerably, and she didn't speak for a few moments. But just as Yuuki was beginning to regain her nerves in the short-lived silence, the woman began speaking again. "Don't tell me you've gone off and joined with those terrible people that your father used to fraternize with. Those sickening Exorcists, thinks they can make a man abandon his family. They're so naïve to think that Daddy would just leave us, and when he didn't they killed him! Stole him from me! But, I have him back now, and he's all mine. He won't ever leave again. That pathetic god thinks he can out wit me, well I can outwit death, with the power of the Millennium Earl." She broke into a maniacal fit of laughter, her head back and hands formed into claws.

"She's right you know…" Came a voice high up in the rafters, the sound of grafting stone. A man with an umbrella swinging high above his head; a decorative top hat adorning his hairless head, spectacled face, and the largest grin she'd ever since upon a human. Maybe he wasn't mortal after all…perhaps the Devil in disguise. It was the monster that reaps souls from the suffering, and preys on the morose, one who enlists the help of evil humans, The Millennium Earl.

Expect an update soon :)

Once again sorry about the lack of good scenes. I was trying a new writing style this time.

Please review and give feedback! :)

-Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**ar, so I don't have much free time. **

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

Thanks to my reviewers also, you guys are SO awesome!

Vary-san:I'm sorry about that, I've tried a new writing style this time to incorporate your tip, I hope you'll approve. I also used some of your suggestions, other facial expressions, what others are doing, etc. Hope you enjoy! Please continue to give me tips on how to improve I really appreciate it. :)

Wind in Your Whiskers: It's okay, as you said, you've been busy :) Here's the update, please enjoy!

Satou Kimura: Sorry bout the blandness, I was trying to do sort of a housekeeping chapter. Don't worry, I hate it when characters sing (that aren't supposed to sing, if it's part of the storyline, it's fine) unnecessarily. So I won't make Yuuki like that. Thanks for the tip, hope you enjoy the update.! :)

Savage Kill: I know right? Here's the update, please enjoy and continue to read+review! :)

Rhamana: Really? Thank you so much! I'm always really happy when a new reviewer shows up :) I'm sorry about Kanda, but he won't be showing up later, and you're right, she would :) Please enjoy and continue to read and review.

Crazy10118: Really? Thank you! Please continue to read and review!

Mental Verin: Here's the update, please enjoy and continue to read and review. :)

Cereah: Thank you so much! Please enjoy and continue to read and review. :)

Glon Morski: It's okay. Sorry bout the weird plot, like don't know where it's going in a bad way? If so, I'll try to fix it. Please enjoy and continue to read and review.

ViolentxLove:Thank you so much! Please enjoy the update, and continue to read and review.

Soulless Ghosty:I'm sorry! The part I have planned for the romance to start is still a ways off, for now, I'll stick with little things leading up to it, hope that's okay with you. Anyways, please enjoy the update, and continue to read and review.

Sakra-chan: Thank you once again! I know you've already read it, but enjoy this next chapter! :)

Whew that was a lot of reviews. Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man, Katsura Hoshina does (I'm so happy, the manga is coming back in May because that's when Katsura's wrist will be healed.)

Without further ado, please enjoy!

_**I was trying a new writing style this time, I think it's better than the old one, but I would like your opinion on it if you'll take the time.**_

"Good Evening Exorcists." The Earl jeered. However, neither his mouth nor his face moved very much when he spoke. It was as if he were a dentiloquist. Yuuki could feel a slight quivering in her toes, though she'd faced Noahs, and countless Akuma, meeting the true villain behind the schemes was truly terrifying. It was as if her blood had turned to ice within her veins, yet her heart continued to hammer restlessly, like a cornered animal of sorts. It wasn't as if the Earl's face was scary, something about him just wasn't right, there was a demonic presence near him that chilled the room. Unknowingly, Yuuki gave a small shiver; noticing that her hands were quivering, and then pocketed them so no one would notice her fear, see her weakness. Or at least that's what she hoped. All exorcists knew, no matter what grotesque demon was imagining how to plot your demise four feet in front you, not a glint of fear should pass through your eyes.

Looking to the right, she saw that Allen showed none of the fear in his eyes that she possessed, but a fierce look. As if a hound smelling fear, the Earl turned his long narrow face to scrutinize Yuuki.

"My, my, my, isn't that the Marshall's little fellow? Lulubells' been keeping me updated on…what was your name again…?" he thought for a moment, tapping his chin in a comical manner. Yuuki swore a shiver ran down her spine as he said her name. "Ah yes, _Yuuki_." As if proud of himself, he spun around with his umbrella crying bloody murder at his actions. To her relief though, Lavi seemed to fidget a bit too, meaning that she wasn't the only one who was nervous.

Scared out her mind, but nevertheless donning a courageous face to show the enemy. "What's it to you?!" She vociferated, reaching up to her face to brush a strand of hair that was blocking her vision, then resuming her glare.

"Be careful," warned Allen, taking a small step forward as if bracing for the worst.

"I've been meaning to give you this." The Earl mused.

She backed up, afraid that he was going to attack her, but instead, a gold half-sphere came flying toward her, Yuuki reached for it, but unfortunately, catching had never been her forte. It clattered to the ground-round side downwards- near her feet. A breath hitched in her throat when she saw it, recognized the familiar writing and symbols.

Near the toe of her boot lay a gold button; the flat sides upward and familiar scrawl that read:

_The Black Religious Order_

_Kevin Yeeger_

_Marshall_

Biting her tongue, Yuuki knelt down to take a closer look. She tentatively stretched out a hand to pick up the button hesitantly; she took it into the palm of her right hand, where it seemed to send a tingling sensation into her arm. Able to do nothing, Allen and Lavi choose to stay silent, afraid that anything they said would only make the situation worse. The two boys stood and pocketed their hands, finding it awkward without something for them to do.

While they stood silent, Yuuki reflected on those words, running her index finger over the carved lettering. It had been five years ago when she herself used Goddess of Dawn to write those words, she remembered complaining through the whole thing, she even remembered the particular button. It had been the first one she'd tried to write on, the scrawl was messy, and there was still a small chip in one of the sides from her losing control of an orb. Nevertheless, the mangled button, all of the other buttons as well, had been sewn onto the coat just as her master had promised. Seeing something from her master tore at her heartstrings, and made her toes lose their feeling. She'd already lost so much, first her master, then the bracelet, and now she was staring at a definite reminder of what she'd lost, and it didn't feel good at all.

"Pretty ain't it?" The Earl commented, seeming to wait until she had picked up the button before speaking. "Tyki got it off that old man's body, gave the other one to this little kid. We burned the rest of em'." He paused for a second.

"You…" Yuuki began, her hands clenching into fists at her side, her teeth pressing into her lower lip.

"Oh, and Lulubell has one too…." Rudely interrupting her sentence, the monster did another twirl with his pumpkin topped umbrella.

"Whose Lulubell?!" Lavi exclaimed, stepping forward so he and Allen were in front of Yuuki's quivering form.

"Why…a _Noah_ of course."

It was then that Yuuki seemed to lose a bit of the numb feeling in legs and body; the coldness receded and was replaced by pure outrage. She remembered Tyki, the scum that had cost her master his life, the man that had nearly killed her friends, and massacred the innocent souls on the ship. But when had she come into contact with Lulubell? She hadn't been in contact with any Noah other than Rhode, and Tyki… It didn't matter, she was part of the alliance that had killed him, and threatened her home. She wouldn't forgive them, not ever.

"What are you talking about?!" She exclaimed, swiping an arc in front of her with her arm. Yuuki was just about to hurl another rude comment, when Allen gently laid a hand on her shoulder; she turned to him to see him mildly shaking his head. A hard look in his eyes that in no way showed the childish Allen she'd come to befriend in her last few weeks at the Order.

"It's not worth speaking to him," Allen reprimanded gently, before slowly reaching over to his left hand, and pulling off his glove.

"Innocence Invocate." Yuuki was only given a moment's notice before a green flash emitted from the cross embedded into the back of his hand, and his arm morphed into a familiar silver claw. Reading Allen's face, a wide smirk broke out on Lavi's face, he looked toward Yuuki and winked with his right eye. Or just closed both, she couldn't tell; he had an eye patch over his left.

"Enough talk, let's fight." He challenged, lifting his hammer from its pouch on his leg and spinning it on his finger before lifting it in the Earl's direction.

"_Big Hammer, Little Hammer, Grow, Grow, Grow!" _Immediately, it grew to maybe 10, no 100 times its regular size. He shifted and fidgeted his fingers a few times on the handle before lifting it higher up in the Earl's direction, so that the tiny spike seemed aligned with his head. At that moment, the last of the fear that enveloped her mind seemed to depart, and she felt strength to stand. It didn't matter what she felt anyway, it was war, and the situation was: kill your enemy or watch your friends be killed following yourself.

Choosing the former, Yuuki stood abruptly, trying to look graceful, but catching the end of her coat on her shoe. Inelegantly, she stood once more after regaining her balance, the fists at her side clenched once more before she turned her head skywards and shouted out the words that would preced a terrible battle.

"Valkyrie's Vigil, invocate!" The cathedral's interior stood deathly still, the dark shadows still flickering about on the walls from the lack of light; then everything was illuminated for a few seconds, a bright silver light driving away the deceptive shadows.

Yuuki allowed the familiar warmth of her wings to drive away the solid set cold that had settled in the cathedral. Vaguely, she could see Laurel crouching near the alter; watching everyone's every move, though not a habit known to adults, the nail of her right pointer finger was being chewed nervously in her teeth.

"I won't be your opponent today, you should check on the city, as we speak, the horde of Akuma draw closer." The Earl stately calmly as he quirked an eyebrow as if in a mocking manner toward the exorcists, as he finished his sentence, he casually tipped his hat toward the group.

"What?!" Allen exclaimed, eyes considerably widening, he seemed to take a step forward but then changed his mind and retreated. "That's…horrible!"

"On the contrary, boy. All's fair in war. The thousand-year curtain has been drawn up and it's time for the true act to begin."

"You're a monster!" Yuuki accused, stepping forward, and a slight wetness to her eyes.

"Did the Akuma I create give that away? Surely you jest when you say you weren't aware."

"Even so! You cannot just…" Yuuki was cut off yet again by the Earl.

" I'll tell you what though, you can have fifteen minutes to get to town, or you'll return to a pile of ashes." He cackled evilly, a hand rising up to put in front of his mouth, covering his selection of yellowing teeth.

Yuuki, Allen, and Lavi spared no time to listen to him finish, at once their Innocences all deactivated and they immediately bolted for the door and raced toward town, situated approximately twenty minutes away. The sound of Yuuki's boots rebounding in the high rafters caused Laurel to meet her eyes as they left, and she could swear they widened just a smidge.

"We should go to the Mayor, tell him to evacuate the village," Lavi managed to say, huffing and puffing.

"No good, he won't do a thing,"

"That's true. I only thought it was a rumor." Already, Yuuki could feel a small burning in her side, and her toes felt too warm from the running. But her thoughts were centered on Eliza. Where was she? Was she alright?

"We won't make it with any time to spare, fly ahead to town. Warn the mayor to evacuate the town anyway, and go find Eliza." Allen spoke slowly, but it was as if he'd read her mind. Though he didn't look from the road ahead, she felt a silent gratitude. Smiling, Yuuki took to the air, and raced toward town. All the while cold winds beating her face, numbing her cheeks, and sending her hair into a billowing stream behind her.

"Mayor are you here?" Yuuki screeched as she burst into the manor, though she'd always know the mansion was humongous in size. She flinched as a loud squeak reverberated through the corridors. At first, she waited for an answer

A few moments passed with no answers coming from the empty house, Yuuki was about to rush in before a soft clicking caught her attention; it was coming from one of the rooms further down the hall. Hoping it was the mayor, a maid, even that disgusting Cameron, she rushed toward the sound.

As she made it further and further down the long hall, an uneasy feeling rose in her stomach. Not many understand it, but Exorcists are the ones that know that their deaths are usually met in an eerily silent place, similar to where she was now.

Suddenly, a small dark shape raced across one of the doorways to the other, as if magically, the wooden door closed behind it. Out of habit, Yuuki raised two fingers to measure her Carotid pulse, finding that it was too quick for her liking; she began to take deep breaths. After all, she fought badly under the fight or flight syndrome, it made her rely more on spontaneous luck rather than her mind. Which was definitely a bad thing.

Finally reaching the door, she brushed her hands over the knob for a moment, trying to listen for noise, staying so still was making her boot seem rather uncomfortable on her left foot, so she used her right to gently rub at it. It was a while before she also realized this was the same door that the Mayor's wife had been blocking earlier in the day, she had even taken precautions to clean it herself rather than let a maid in there.

Opening the door a smidge, she peered in, satisfied that there didn't seem to be any people within it, she ventured in. It happened very quickly, as if many candles were lit at the same time, Yuuki cringed as here eyes (that had been accustomed to the darkness of the house) were exposed to so much light.

The thieving black cat from earlier in the day sat upon the desk, her bracelet acting as a makeshift collar on his neck.

"You!" Yuuki exclaimed, "Come here!" She then attempted to tempt the cat to her side so that she could get the bracelet back. She was relieved when the cat raised its head to look at her that it wasn't damaged at all, and the recently added moon charm sat comfortable next to the shell even though it was far too large for the bracelet.

"What do you think I am? Stupid?" Her eyes widened, at first she looked around the room for the source of the voice, but when she didn't find it, she turned back toward the cat, or what used to be a cat at least. It only took, a second, with the sound of rushing wind, the cat disappeared. Sitting upon the desk was a woman with black hair, a well-tailored suit, dark skin, a neutral expression. and dark glasses sitting on the bridge of her nose. The bracelet now sat on her wrist, and when the woman raised her arm to remove the glasses, and Yuuki finally saw her face, she caught her breath. Golden eyes stared at her, and black cross markings running the length of her forehead suddenly stood out in contrast to her eye color. It was none other than a_ Noah_.

"My, my, hello. How're you?" She asked, her voice was monotone, but Yuuki detected a hint of mockery in her polite words. Deciding to not offend the powerful being before her, Yuuki went with the polite response. After all, that's what her master had always taught her, know your enemy, then strike.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, nothing, just to give you this." The Noah reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. "The Mayor'll help you with the next step. isn't that right, Cramner?" She continued, obviously nonchalant about the horde of Akuma to be arriving any minute.

"Yes, of course, Miss Lulubell." Came his voice, and when she looked closely, she say that he sat on the other side of the room, with a phone in hand.

"You're Lulubell?" Yuuki commented, ignoring the slip of paper being proffered to her.

"Why, yes. To talk to your beloved Master. You want that," Lulubell pulled down her glasses a bit, and glared. "Don't you? If you pick up the phone, and call his name, you may speak to him once more." She reached forward, and held out the paper. Tempted at first, Yuuki reached for it, but her common sense finally caught up with her. She grabbed the paper and tore it to pieces with her long spindly fingers.

"Do you take me as a fool Noah?" She growled, letting the shreds slip from her fingers in a small white shower. "I am an Exorcist, don't try to get me to create an Akuma."

"Hmph, I knew you were a smart one, not like that other little one, and all those other fools in this town that succumbed to it." Yuuki stood shocked, there had been others, and in the Mayor's house nonetheless. That could only lead to one conclusion. She turned toward the Mayor, still sitting in his leather-backed chair holding the phone out.

"You're a broker aren't you?" The bitterness seeped from Yuuki's tone, and her face contorted to a grimace.

"Why, yes dear. That idiotic son of mine tried to drive you away, but that apparently didn't work."

"Cameron was trying to help me?"

"Yes that dumb boy. I always did think he ended up a bit like his real mother. Trying to help others. Such a fool."

"You mean to say…that your current wife isn't his mother?" It wasn't that Yuuki really cared, but being a scholar at heart, the curiosity of the situation got to her.

"Are you stupid? Akuma can't give birth." A rumbling came from behind her, but it was far too late. The screech of an Akuma reverberated around the vast room. There was a click behind her, and the coldness of a gun pressed to the back of her head.

"Goodbye, Exorcist." Murmured Lulubell from atop the desk, and she chucked darkly. As every moment passed Lulubell grew more and more transparent, then faded into nothing. Leaving only Yuuki, the Akuma Virus gun pressed to her head, a dark chuckling, and a deranged man who dealt with the Earl in the room.

Dentiloquist: Someone who speaks without moving his or her teeth.

A big thank you to my official Beta Sakra-chan, I really appreciate it. :)

Please read and review! :) The next chapter will be out shortly.

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**ar, so I don't have much free time. **

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

Thanks to my reviewers also, I love you guys! :)

Sakra-chan: Yay thanks! I also want to thank you for beta-ing this story so quickly. You're AWESOME! I read the new chapter, *snicker* Kanda looks kinda like a girl at some point. Can't wait for the next update. :)

Satou Kimura: Oh okay then. I know, at first it was just a cat, then I rewatched part of D. Gray Man, and saw Cat-Lulubell, and thought it'd be cool to trick some people. :) Please continue to read and review! :)

Rhamana: Oh, hope you get better soon. :) Thanks, I'll try to keep you interested, so please continue to read and review! :)

Savage Kill: Thanks :) Please read and review! XD

Cereah: Thank you so much! I'm always really happy when I see an enthusiastic reader! Please continue to read/review even if the updates are kinda slow, and I promise I'll try hard to not disappoint you! :)

Glon Morski: Augh! I noticed that too, at first when I posted it, I thought that part was just kinda iffy, but after seriously reading it, I realized that's horrible! So I'm not sure if it'll cover for it, but I made Allen extra no-holding-backish toward a Noah. Hope that'll be better than the earl part. :) Anyway, please continue to read and review! :) I really enjoy reading them.

ViolentxLove: Yay! I'm happy that you liked the chapter! :) Please continue to read and review. :)

Soulless Ghosty: I dunno *wink* You'll have to keep reading to find out! Please continue to read and if you want to, review even though the updates are rather slow.

AnimeCrazed121: Lol. I'm sorry (if that's a bad thing.) Please continue to review and read! :)

Whew that was a lot of reviews. Thank you so much!

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray Man, Katsura Hoshina does, and I hope she updates it soon!

**I AM SOOOO SORRY ABOUT THE LONG DELAY. Just a quick rundown of why:**

Switched internet companies so my internet was down.

Then, computer needed to be formatted for some strange reason.

Typed it on my laptop, but figured out my laptop's internet was still broken.

Had to retype it on the computer.

And here I am about 5 weeks after I planned to post chapter 24, posting it. Pretty much everything that could've gone wrong went wrong.

**BUT I AM ****SO**** SORRY! I hope all my loyal readers and reviewers will continue to read and review!**

Without further ado, please enjoy!

A pin drop could have been heard, the atmosphere was tense. No one breathed a word for a moment after Lulubell disappeared from her seat atop the oak desk. Yuuki could not decide whether she was the one who was supposed to break the long-standing silence, or wait for Cramner. For the second time that night, Yuuki raised two fingers to measure her Carotid pulse, finding that it was too quick for her liking. She tried to take deep breaths; however, the ones she managed were labored, and quick. She needed to calm down, and fast. After all, she fought badly under the fight or flight syndrome; it made her rely more on spontaneous luck rather than her mind, which was definitely a bad thing.

To tell the truth, she was terrified of death. Through her auburn hair, she faintly felt the cold metal pressed to the back of her head. Though she tried to ignore the freezing iron head pushed against her skull, and the hole in the center that would surely carry a virus bullet straight through her brain, the fact that it was there still pulsed in her consciousness.

"You're caught in a tight spot aren't you?" Cramner murmured softly, his hand snaked up to remove his thick-rimmed glasses. The original glare that always masked his eyes fell away to reveal a pair of hazel eyes.

"Before you kill me, I'd like to know your motives." Yuuki tried to use everything to her advantage at that point, after all, she was being held at gunpoint. Her fingers twitched awkwardly, being an Exorcist guarantees a few near-death experiences, but never before had she been in one that would look quite as grim. She clenched her fingers into a fist as to not show her fear, but still twitched a bit.

"Afraid? I thought so." His glasses fell from his scarred hands, shattering to pieces on the marble floor and sending a flurry of tiny glass particles into a hodgepodge on the fancy flooring. "The Akuma should be arriving soon, the Exorcists will be crushed. My beloved wife will finally return! Believe me, I am no such a fool as to create an Akuma."

"You won't get away with this." She was running out of things to stall about. If she did not think of a way to get away soon, she would be finished.

She looked toward the man now seated comfortably in his leather loveseat. She tried to give him a pleading look, but to him it must have resembled a glare, because he promptly returned one. Yuuki tried her best to mimic his fearless expression, but found it difficult so she shuffled her feet, and found something extremely interesting to stare at along the tiles.

"You're just like that man." The sorrow in his voice was clearly visible. The grip on Yuuki's hand loosed just a tiny amount.

"Before you die, I only want you to know one thing. I never wanted this to happen. I wanted a normal life. Then my wife died, and then Alexander died. I never had anything to do with it."

"So you made a deal with the Earl?"

"You're in no place to be asking the questions. Let's finish this." He practically growled, cracking his knuckles, the crack reverberated about in the room, giving an eerie sensation. Yuuki's fingers were beginning to turn red, and her knuckles white from the lack of blood flowing to them. This was the end.

She'd never get her revenge or to know that the death of a Noah was at her own hands.

All maniacal thoughts aside, what about her newfound friends? Would she ever return to them, see them welcome her back with open arms, the smiles upon all their faces? The warm embraces she would surely be leaving behind. Then there was Eliza, where would she go? Subconsciously, she imagined the moon charm sitting in her pocket, reminding her of the little girl. It may have only been her imagination, but it grew colder.

"If I weren't mistaken, you could be Lyra." Cranmer's voice was soft, and slightly rough. For a second, Yuuki thought she could detect genuine sadness. "After all, you have my brother's eyes." Immediately, Yuuki's eyes widened, subconsciously, she took a single step forward. Her toes tingled from staying stiff for so long.

"Wh-" It was too late, she had moved, and the gun was still pointed toward her head.

"No!"

A loud crack resounded in the room. A window shattered, showering the courtyard below with glittering fragments of stained glass.

"Allen? How much time do we have left?" The puffing sound came from his right, it was clear that Lavi was reaching his limit. Allen groaned, running a hand through the tangles in his short hair, only succeeding to make his white locks even more tangled. They couldn't stop. If they did, what would happen to the town? It may have only been his imagination, but it was as if a cloud of darkness was descending upon the town from the north. A simple matter of time until chaos would envelope the town.

"I don't know." He finally admitted, sighing again. He had to admit the bottoms of his feet were starting to become sore, as were his legs.

"Yuuki went to warn the mayor, do you think she's arrived yet?" Through all the huffing and puffing, Allen could barely understand it.

"Yeah."

Slowly, the green scenery of the path leading from the cathedral thinned out. Showing clearly-where decades ago-the founders of the town had cut away from the thick foliage to make room for the town, and glean building materials. Soon, the dirt path melded into one that was made of a beige colored cobblestone. The uneven rocks were starting to make their feet sore, but the two boys tried their best to ignore it.

Finally, the silhouette of the town came into view, framed by the horizon over the ocean.

Yuuki's head throbbed uncontrollably, each breath sending a spasm of pain through her temples. She tried to open her eyes, but they were heavy, and were not responding to her demands of opening. In the darkness, she was faintly aware of a wet surface beneath her, causing the back of her coat to be slightly damp, and the sound of crickets around her. She discerned that she was most likely outside somewhere. But how had that happened? Hadn't she been shot? Was she dead? Was heaven dark and had wet grass? The very thought made her head whirl, and she slipped once again into unconsciousness.

As Lavi and Allen stepped back into town square, they were immediately confronted by a blond woman in a black suit. She donned black shades that obscured her eyes. With her demeanor, they'd expected her to shamble meekly toward them if she approached them at all, but instead, she walked with cold nobility. Her head held up high, her stature towering, and heels clicking on the concrete.

Lavi and Allen were positive that something was amiss. Allen was, however, surprised to not hear Lavi utter his signature "Strike!" even though the woman was blonde like most of the other her tended to flirt with, he abstained.

"Welcome Exorcists, I am Lulubell." She ran her gloved fingers through her long ponytail, as she did so, her hair faded to the darkest of black. When it completed the change, she removed her shades to reveal golden eyes. Eyes of a Noah. Just as quickly as they realized that, the crosses appeared, lining her forehead, her skin fading to grey. Allen felt a familiar rush of anger; he braced himself, out of respect for Yuuki he'd kept quiet while she spoke to the Earl. Now that that particular fiasco was done with, he was free to attack any Noah he pleased.

"It's time to begin. However, I will not be your opponent" The words from Lulubell's lips were curt and simple, but the effect of her words were disastrous. Just as quickly and abruptly as she'd appeared, Lulubell disappeared in a cloud of distortion.

"You'd better hurry Exorcists, if you want to save their souls…" Her voice faded along with her physical form.

Allen and Lavi had once believed that they could simply destroy all the Akuma, therefore saving their souls, and the town. But it was then they realized how horribly wrong they were.

It was Lavi that noticed first. All around town, Akuma had sprung up by the dozens. The level twos clustered the edges of town, while the level ones spread out around the general town area.

The pattern, the placement of the Akuma made Lavi's stomach churn. The thinking gears in his head were whirring. They were spaced about a half a block each with some in the middle, the only logical reason they were doing that was if they had some large-scale attack. The one that came to mind, was a self-destruction

"Allen, we cannot save them, they're going to-" He was cut off, all around town some of the Akuma had begin to explode, showering the town in debris. Dust began to cloud the air, caught off guard, a building began to collapse. Lavi didn't need his Bookman's intuition to know that it would land right on top of the two of them if something wasn't done soon.

With that, everything faded to black. Not leaving a single shred of light in its wake.

(A/N This story is getting a bit too serious, and I cut out too many funny parts. So, here's a little Omake I wrote to make up for it.)

~OMAKE 1~

Late Risers: Part 1

It wasn't even morning yet. Anyone who'd grown up with General Yeeger would've known that. According to everyone in the Yeeger party, morning came when the sun was high in the sky. On that particular day, it was cloudy, and the sky was dark; one could say the sun never rose, and hence morning never came. Thus, the late risers could get up whenever they wanted. A fact most cherished by the Yeeger party. Another thing was that anyone who'd grown up with someone about seven times her age would've known that getting up late is a very natural part of days where you don't have to work.

The coverlets of the cotton blankets were wrapped tightly around her to make her form resemble a large cocoon. Yawning, Yuuki reached a hand out of the covers, flinching at the cold, and ran her fingers through her hair. Finding a stubborn knot, she began to tug more urgently at the strands, only to earn herself a small amount of hair in the hand that she'd yanked out on accident. Cringing, she ducked back into the blankets, smothering her face in the warmth. Besides, it was way too cold to get up.

Even though she was awake, Yuuki remained in this position for a good half hour before a rude knock came at her door.

"Yuuki?" The door muffled the voice, she was faintly aware it was a boy. She tried to regulate her breathing as to seem still asleep, but whoever it was had probably heard the noise of her blankets as she shifted, and knocked again.

"You have to get up." The voice was now increasingly insistent.

"No. I'm still asleep." Logically, she wouldn't have tried that approach while she was completely awake, but it's always worth a try.

"Are you at least dressed?" The low blood pressured girl growled, and buried her head into the blankets, trying to block out the annoying noise.

"No, didn't I tell you I'm still-"

"Alright," She felt relieved at those words, until the next part came. "You have five minutes, or I'll bust open the door." She didn't respond for a bit, cursing her misfortune as to be in the company of early risers.

"…Fine."

Her dark eyebrows furrowed together. With a loud groan, she roused herself from the covers, feeling goose bumps pop up on her arm. Her leg was numb from lying on it, and the pin prickles sent an uncomfortable sensation as she shifted to sit up in bed.

Giving the door a quick death glare she turned to the window. The curtains were still drawn, but a small sliver of gray light (the curtains were black) peered through, stinging Yuuki's eyes that were still accustomed the darkness of night time. She pulled on a white sweater and shorts to wear under the skirt. She had yet to get her coat, apparently they'd run out of her size. She wouldn't ever mention it to the design team, but that was plain insulting. Five foot two and a half wasn't that short. But apparently all the Exorcists they got were well over 5'5. Yuuki made a mental note to slouch around the other Exorcists as to not let the others get a fair comparison of height. She's heard how people teased Allen, calling him Moyashi, and she was determined not to let people start calling her Shortstacks again.

She reached for the skirt, but found that it was freezing cold after the night they'd been sitting out in the open air. Sighing, Yuuki shoved them under the still-warm covers to reach a better temperature.

Unable to find a pair of socks in her messy suitcase, Yuuki settled for a pair of black stockings with a small white ribbon at the top. In her sleep-deprived state, she'd put the right one on her left foot but felt no inclination to fix it. After that, she pulled on one of her standard Black Order boots, groaning at the lacings that she had to redo in the front.

Yuuki walked clumsily over the to window, all the while stubbing her toe on her suitcase that for some reason still sat in the middle of the room.

Originally, everyone who had traveled with her and the general had referred to her morning state as "The Zombie of Stagecoach-Dame" which made no sense at all. Afterwards, General Yeeger had made it a point to teach the Finders that the legend was called The HUNCHBACK of NOTRE dame. Which the original story in no way involved zombies, and had no involvement of stagecoaches. Yuuki remembered those times with fond memories, and a sore knee. Right after her thought was finished, her distracted state allowed her to hit her kneecap on the table leg next to the window. She scratched an itchy patch on her head, and cleared some sand from her eye.

Smiling softly, Yuuki stepped toward the window, throwing the soft black curtains aside to let in a shower of light. Blinking her stinging eyes, she allowed them –so accustomed to the darkness of night as she slept- to gradually accept the light. After a while, the burning receded, and Yuuki could look out the window comfortably.

Simply out of habit, Yuuki turned the latch and leaned her upper body out as she had in the coach wagon for the past five or so years. Now for those who don't know, a coach wagon's window is about one and a half meters off the floor, so a potential drop wouldn't hurt. Compare that to the Black Order's twenty-fourth-floor window, and to put it bluntly, the 'potential drop' is one that'll kill you. Of course, someone who'd only slept in that room for a week probably wouldn't notice. Which was Yuuki's ultimate downfall.

"Mm, good morni-!" and with that, Yuuki Yeeger dropped out of the window. Her scream reverberated around the tall (gravity defying) tower, and within minutes the whole Order was wondering which unfortunate soul had died at ten forty-five in the morning.

Yuuki thanked God for the ability to fly.

Allen hadn't slept well the night before; he'd stayed up to play some poker with a few finders (much to their dismay). Originally he'd planned to sleep late, and was quite annoyed by the fact he'd been roused from the sleep at the same time he'd usually get up from bed.

He began counting sheep, hoping to return to the land of sleep. However when the sheep starting looking tasty he let his thoughts drift from returning to sleep. Sheep reminded Allen of lamb, and lamb reminded him of food. Allen, being the walking black hole stomach, realized he was hungry. That was definitely unacceptable. However, a small part of his consciousness screamed "Get back to sleep you idiot!"

He managed to coax it to his side of the mental argument with promises of lots and lots of lamb Roti rolls for breakfast.

Allen smirked to himself, he was so persuasive. Now if only he could persuade Kanda to stop calling him Moyashi.

That reminded him that he'd have some bean sprouts with breakfast.

"Mmm, bean sprouts would taste good with a saucy stir fry, spring rolls, Carpaccio, and maybe a pizza on the side." His face was one of pure bliss. After all, no one comes between Allen and his food, not even his conscious.

Somewhere in the kitchen, Jerry sighed to himself. Something told him that today was going to be a long, long day.

This is the greeting from the original chapter 25, I'm just going to leave it here, along with the one shot guidelines. **Not important, you don't have to read this part.**

Hello everybody!

I'm just going to say have a Happy Holiday to all my beloved readers and reviewers (I am sad to see that I've lost quite a few with my absence from , but I won't let it discourage me. :))

So, have a Happy Holiday Season, and an awesome New Years! I am so lucky to have awesome readers/reviews like you guys! You guys are the absolute BEST!

Come Christmastime, all members of the Black Order are called back to Headquarters.

That particular year, members were graced by the presence of Marian Cross, whom since recently had been thought dead.

However, his return didn't bring any sort of joy to the people; rather a rather large hodgepodge of receipts for the best bottles of Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot noir, and Lombardia that money could buy.

One could often hear Komui seated at his desk sobbing during the night wondering what to do with the hundreds of notes worth of wine.

His dark spirits did nothing to dampen the hopes of the Black Order for the coming year, and Christmas.

Afterall, the Yuletide season was one that naturally made people happy. Who cared if it didn't snow, or the weather was miserable. The people were happy simply because it was Christmastime once again. They'd all survived another year of the Earl, and they were one year closer to his defeat. That alone was something worth celebrating.

Earlier that very day, Lavi, Allen, and a few finders had been set out to pick out a tree from the forest surrounding the Order. After selecting a large Pine tree, they'd been tasked with cutting it down, and hauling it below the cliff of the Order. Only then had they realized the true problem with the situation. That was when Komui came to the rescue with a series of pulleys that had hoisted the tree straight in the Black Religious Organization HQ hallway.

In the kitchen, everyone was bustling about, putting more spices on hams, seasoning the turkeys, and getting ingredients ready for the big day. Jerry had really outdone himself, he was adamant on creating a feast that even Allen would have a difficult time finishing 1/100 of. Such was an extremely difficult task, and he certainly had his hands full. He still needed to find someone to help kill the 20 live turkeys he'd enlisted someone to but minus the live part. Nevertheless, he was stuck with killing them himself, or making Kanda extremely angry, and getting him to do it.

Lenalee was in charge of decoration the tree; she flew about, pushing off pillars around the tree. Occasionally enlisting the help of finders passing by, some of which looked desperate as to not help. But, that didn't stop her from bullying them into it anyways.

Kanda had cooped himself up in his room. He'd never been much a religious person, but the rest of the order had at least expected him to come downstairs and rain on their joyful day. But to some's dismay/happiness he didn't set foot outside his quarters except to threaten the kitchen staff for tempura soba.

'Twas a week before Christmas, and all was clear.

Finders say jovially near the fire, thinking of the toast of beer whose time was near.

When all through the Black Order, and not a person wasn't in disorder.

Reading in the kitchen was Lavi, in charge of keeping Allen away from the gravy.

Cooped in his room was poor ol' Kanda, miffed to the bone about the propaganda.

Comparing him to the Grinch wasn't nice, he'd stay in his room to avoid someone who had a head to slice.

Drinking coffee was Komui, accused by Jerry of jumping into the chimney. He stood covered head to toe in soot, Jerry fled instantly, for he still had to cook.

Lenalee was full of holiday cheer; flying upwards, she set atop the tree, a glowing sphere.

Settled downstairs, was white-haired Allen, he thought of Christmas Cider by gallon.

(I know it's lame.)

_ **Start of Actual Chapter 25.**

is a long one, maybe 30 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

Thanks to my reviewers also, I love you guys! :) If ya like what you're reading, feel free to leave a review!

Cereah: Thanks! I'm glad you liked the omake, it was more of a suspense filler, cause everything was getting too serious. :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Sakra-Chan: Hello! Enjoy the chapter!

xLilium (I think originally ViolentxLove): Thanks, glad you enjoyed the chapter, this one is super long, almost 6000 words. Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Earl Grey Tea: Don't worry, you're not pompous. Ummm, some of those are right. I guess. Well, read and find out for yourself. Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Yann: Thanks so much, oh and thanks for clearing up the second review! Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Yuu: Thank you so much! Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot! :)

Yuuki:Thanks. I think she's English. Cause Lyra is english and all. Doesn't really matter. Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot! :)

Savage Kill: Maybe...that is an interesting thought. XD. :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Ladidididididididida (Is that right?): Whoa, really? And nice word choice for 'neophyte.' :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

0Infinity0: Pie is awesome, so is cheese (I guess.) :) I don't really understand why they all speak English...but Katsura Hoshina can do whatever she wants, so whatever. :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Soulless Ghosty:Yay! Thanks again! :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

Cabbage1 10 (I hope that's right, if not, then sorry.): Really? I'll get to fixing that soon, oh and enjoy the little bits of AllenxYuuki moments in this chapter. :) Hope you enjoy the chapter, please continue to read and review, it means a lot!

_**Cause I'm so sorry for the long delay, this chapter is the length of 2-3 ish regular ones (about 6000 words for just the story, 7000 including comments, and review replies.) Enjoy enjoy enjoy! :) You guys are the best readers I could ask for! **_

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray man.

Description of Valkyrie's Vigil (never got around to it, some of the abilities haven't been used yet, it's just what I've planned out thus far.) (And yes, I'm a jerk, this is all subject to change.)

Long range; takes the form of smallish wings. ( www . / resultfiles/27909 anime% ) Thanks to Earl Gray Tea for sending me the pic, I think it's just about right. Only substitute the person's hair color with auburn, and eye color with blue-green.

Essence is contained in the ink drawing on her back. (Sort of like a tattoo)

Known Offensive Moves: (Someone tell me if these are lame, or too Mary sue) (PS You can submit more if you'd like.)

-Einherjar Level 1 (I thinks its pronounced Iron-ah-jars, but I'm not sure.)

Places artificial spirits into inanimate objects for a very limited time. Limited access of what the object can or can't do. Cannot change its make up. One makes it move according to orders. Only one at a time.

Example: Water doll: Makes water move on its own accord.

-Reginleif: Creates shapes from Einherjar animated objects.

-Sigrun: Can loosely manipulate the weather, so that different 'dolls' can be created.

Is this too mary sue? Leave a response with your answer.

_How long has it been? _Yuuki thought slowly. All her thoughts ran as thickly and slowly as honey. _I have to wake up…_

But she couldn't.

The dreams held her, one after the other, a river of images that bore her like a leaf caught in the current of a stream. She felt a pressure, a drawing pull as if she were pressed up against something hard and unyielding and she was slowly being crushed. Images flashed behind her eyelids, passing by at surreal speeds for her to touch. But something in her mind clicked and time seemed to clock down. Then the pictures began to flip lazily by as if someone held all the pictures of her mind and compressed them a flipbook and slowly flipping them one by one.

Images of Akuma, Noah, the Earl, and the tortured souls ran slow through her head. But almost as soon as the evil visions came, they were quickly masked by 'photos' of Exorcists, Finders, scientists, and rooms in the Black Order, the place she'd always have a place to return to.

The next slide was white, almost like a hospital wall, but extremely foggy at the same time.

She saw a handprint, its fingertips smearing the obscure wall. Fresh, dripping with red paint that cascaded down in scarlet tears.

But it wasn't paint.

It was blood, crimson and running down the wall in rivulets.

Then everything: the pictures of the wall, the people, and blood were gone. All abruptly gone. Cutting off so suddenly as if it wasn't supposed to be seen…

Yuuki's eyelids felt as if they had been stitched together. She imagined the skin tearing as she peeled them slowly open and blinked. Her first thought was that she wasn't in the second floor room anymore. The taste of the copper blood in her mouth was washed away and the evening clouds she vaguely remembered where replaced with a black sky.

The second floor room was directly above her, she could tell because of the broken window. She must have been shoved out.

As she recalled what had happened to let her fall out the window and land outside. Yuuki felt strange as if she was remembering a distant dream.

Her second thought was that she was already dead. Who pushed her? When she entered the house, the house was deserted.

The back of her head felt warm and sticky, her hair was matted with blood that oozed out of a wound on the side of her head when she'd struck the ground. Thankfully she hadn't broken anything serious, or cracked her skull open; everything was still where it should be. Yuuki silently thanked the bush she'd landed on.

_Her mouth opened in an 'O' like shape, yet not a sound escaped them. Her hand outstretched toward the being before her, as if asking them to take her hand. It wasn't till she ground was almost upon her did a piercing sound leave her lips._

Something thudded against her ribcage, interrupting her thoughts like a warm knife through butter, echoing into her ears like war drums. She listened to its velocity and felt the pulse it sent through her. Then she realized that it wasn't a drum at all. But her heart, a slow steady beat that tied her to life.

_Thank you God, I'm alive._ She offered a silent prayer to whoever had allowed her to survive.

"Why did you save her?"

"I don't know, she reminds me of someone, father."

"I suppose you're right, people are drawn to protect her."

"Don't butter me up, after all, you just tried to kill her!" Cameron's face curled into a snarl, voice dropped the teasing tone it usually held. A cold indifference took its place. "You won't stop me."

"Well, go after your cousin now, cause I won't do anything about it."

The western side of town, or what was left of it at least met her steps. The cozy little homes that used to line the edges of the street, ironically, a sign that read **Home Sweet Home** rested at her feet.

"Allen? Lavi?" Her voice rang all around her due to the bowl like area the rubble had created, but there was no answer. She ran her hands through her hair in annoyance and worry. Where could they be? A tight frown was set on her face.

"_What are we going to do? Oh my god!"_ Then a loud crashing noise. Whipping her head around, Yuuki turned toward the direction of the noise.

"_What are we going to d-" _The sound played over and over, almost like a broken record. And all of it was coming from a small golden ball crushed under a beam. The entire left side of its body ground to pebbles.

"Timcampy? Oh my gosh!" She picked up the fragments, and held them along with Timcampy in her palm. She'd heard that if you held two ends of a severed worm together, they'd grow back together. Hopefully it was the same for golden golems created by womanizing generals.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before the pieces flew together, and a fully functional Timcampy was zipping around her head.

"Where are Allen and Lavi? Are they alive?" The ball seemingly shook its head; Yuuki's heart dropped to her stomach, but then Timcampy seemingly gestured to the right. Yuuki followed. If they were dead, especially Allen, she'd drag them back from the afterlife, and kill them. _Where'd that especially come from?_ A voice nagged in her head, Yuuki told it to shut up.

"Hey! Short stacks!"

The sharp retort that formed from her lips died, staring in breathless disbelief what who she was seeing, had ghosts come to greet her, or was she simply in a reverie and had yet to awaken. Her eyes grew wide on their achingly familiar faces, flying from their eyes, noses and mouths, all parts of them that screamed out in her conscious as friend. Her chest tightened. She fought back the tears that sprung into her eyes but she couldn't fight the grin that grew on her mouth and stretched until it couldn't stretch no more. Tears stung the edges of her eyes.

"Guys!" She brought Allen into a tight hug, who on cue, burst into a pinkish blush. Obviously he either had bad experiences with being hugged too much (from being around Cross's 'lady friends,') or had been hugged too little. Whatever the latter it didn't matter, Allen and Lavi were alive. With a few bruises here and there per say, but none the less still breathing and in fighting condition.

Little did they know, something was following them, watching, and recording their every step.

They'd walked about in town for a bit before Eliza appeared from behind a pillar; her body seemed to meld with the shadows. Yuuki smiled widely, and ran toward her first. On cue, Eliza's expression mimicked her own.

"Yoki!" She cried, reaching for a hug. But as the happy moment began, something terrible happened. From behind them, Allen's voice-suddenly stern- called out.

"Move aside, Yuuki. Eliza is an Akuma."

"What are you talking about?" Yuuki quickly swept Eliza behind her back as to shield her from harm's way, even if the danger was Allen Walker. "Allen, you can't make jokes like that!" Her whole body felt cold; she trusted Allen with her life, yet Eliza would never betray her.

"Yuuki, his eye can't be wrong…" Lavi seemed torn, but the slight grimace set in his face led her to believe that he was leaning toward Allen's conclusion. Allen's eye was never wrong, or that's what she hoped to be false.

"Well it is this time! There's absolutely no way that Eliza is an Akuma!"

"You're wrong Allen, Lavi's eye is wrong. There is no way I would be one of those monsters." Eliza chirped, hiding in the folds of Yuuki's coat. "Tell them Yuuki."

"Eliza…" Yuuki felt immeasurable shame for having doubted the young girl. She shuffled her feet a bit, oblivious to what Eliza had done. "See, now you've gotten her all upset!"

"My name isn't Lavi, it's Allen. I think it's obvious my eye is working fine." Yuuki finally caught on to 'Eliza's' mistake. She'd said their names in reverse. Yuuki mentally chastised herself on the irony of the situation. She shifted her gaze to the young Akuma's wrist, and found a charm bracelet. _Her_ bracelet. Glancing over the charms, the broken swarovski lotus and moon charm sent a rush of anger into her,

"Watch out!" Lavi tackled her, sending them both sprawling on the pavement. The spot where Yuuki had once stood was now a smoldering crater in the sidewalk.

From where Eliza had once stood, a slight level two Akuma had emerged.

It only took one look to discern its powers. Crystals.

Its body was made of gray crystal, with arms that extended to either side of it, a long tail with a spiked barb at the end, and a single pillar for legs. When one stood at just the right angle, she could see a bubble like barrier around it. Overall it was slightly ghostly, one could see right through it if not for the sadistic Akuma mask on its face. All in all, it held a sort of cold beauty. However, whatever good notions Yuuki had about its appearance were quickly destroyed by its first words.

"Oops, I've been careless. I'm a bad, bad Akuma."

"Who are you?" Lavi demanded, brows furrowing.

"Halite. A mother." Yuuki's eyes widened and a gasp left her lips. Could it be the deceased mother that Eliza had mentioned upon her second meeting with her? Had she created an Akuma?

"Since when?"

"Why, about two days now."

"That's not possible, you were with Allen, Lavi, and I. His eye would've noticed you." A quiet voice mumbled.

"I have my ways, besides, it helps to be one of the Earl's favorite." She mused, her scratchy metallic voice so different from her the child-like lilt it once possessed.

Yuuki mentally did a calculation, the Akuma before her was obviously a level 2. However, it was fact that to evolve an Akuma needed to kill people. It'd only been two days since she'd become an Akuma, yet Eliza was already a level 2. The only thing that'd make sense would be that Eliza hadn't been with them while the three were wandering the town.

Her eyes suddenly widened, and Yuuki's legs felt weak. Eliza hadn't been with them, in fact, the real Eliza had never even met Allen and Lavi. But who had replaced her without her knowing? The answer that came to her was horrifying, and Yuuki didn't even want to think about it. Whenever 'Eliza' had been absent from the group, the black cat had appeared, and she'd already met the person who'd assumed that form.

"Lulubell…" Yuuki whispered, hoping against hope that she was incorrect. She pleaded to God that it was a misunderstanding, and Eliza was alive and well. The Akuma had to be a fake. It had to be.

"That Noah!?" Allen's eyes widened as he thought about it for a second as well. "It can't be…"

"Oh yes lad, it can." The smirk on 'Eliza's' face grew wider. She disappeared. Akuma descended the city from every which direction.

Valkyrie's Vigil was a long-range innocence, meaning when used in close range it hinders your allies, and serves as a huge disadvantage. If she flew up, the dust that stirred up would serve as a distraction for Allen and Lavi. So instead, Yuuki kept the ground.

"I can't take much more." Allen panted from behind her.

"Neither can I." Yuuki ran her hand through her matted, bloody hair. Eyes crazed. She dodged to the side once Halite began sending more shards of luminous crystal at her. Allen had run off to assist Lavi.

This was the time Yuuki noticed a small opening. Allen's Cross Paling had knocked away a section of its shield, and it was open. Summoning the strongest Einherjar at the moment, the rocks on the ground rose to meet into a fist like shape, which hurtled toward the Akuma.

With a loud crash, it met its mark, knocking a whole section of its crystalline body off.

Badly wounded, Halite turned to escape, but Yuuki was in worse shape. Searing pain ran through her shoulders, sending flashes of red in her vision. Turns out the Akuma's play was dirty; before her departure, Halite turned, and shot a long sharp shard at her.

Yuuki shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the blow. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, the shard sailed dangerously closer, but at the same time, a rough pressure to her side moved her out of the way. Someone had taken the blow meant for her. But who? It wasn't Allen or Lavi; they were fighting nearby, Yuuki staggered to her feet from her position on the ground.

"Lyra? It's alright, your mum's here." Laurel told her from her sitting position on the ground, a long slash on her lower abdomen from where the shard had grazed it. "I won't lose you again." Her voice was beginning to get raspy, and eyes duller by the moment. Then abruptly, she tipped over, landing with a thud before Yuuki could rush to her side.

She had her stomach to the sky and her left cheek pressed against the cold concrete. Yuuki rolled her over and checked the pulse at Laurel's wrist.

"She's still alive." Yuuki whispered. She felt the air in her lungs return, somewhat relieved.

"Course I am. Mum won't lose you again." The woman chuckled softly, as if that were the most obvious fact in the world.

"My name is Yuuki Yeeger; with all due respect, I'm not your daughter." Laurel's eyes were as wide as dinner plates, she held Yuuki's sleeve in a death grip.

"Yes. You. Are." She shouted gruffly, she didn't even wince as pressure was put on her wound, her brows furrowed. "I'm so sure of it. You _are _Lyra Forsythe." It was almost as if she were trying to convince herself.

"No, I'm not!" Yuuki was desperate; this woman would be killed if she continued to try to save her at every turn. Even if it meant breaking her heart, and telling the painful truth, shattering what little hope the woman had left.

"But I'm so sure. Lyra's birthday was the 29th of February…blue-green eyes, auburn hair…. you **are** her. I just want to hear her call me mother again." Laurel coughed abruptly, spluttering under the blood coming from her throat. "Looks just like you." Her head tipped to the side, eyes closing.

"…Mother?" The unfamiliar rolled off Yuuki's tongue, though it seemed so right the way it was said.

"Relax…I just want to take a nap." Her voice faded near the end, and her eyes shut completely.

"Wake up." She shook Laurel's shoulders, hoping to force her awake, but her eyes remained closed. "Mother! Please wake up!" Yuuki tilted her head skywards, and cried out, not for the woman who claimed to be her mother, but for the suffering of another in her stead. If Laurel died, she knew that her face would appear in her nightmares.

It was too bad, crystals regenerate, and soon enough, Halite was back. Yuuki turned toward the woman, not wanting to leave her alone on the battlefield. But just as the dilemma entered her head, it exited.

"I'll take care of her."

"Cameron?!" Yuuki's hair slapped her face as she whipped around to see the womanizer himself kneeling before Laurel, hoisting her onto his back. For once, his face was somber, and his hair was neat. "Why're you here?" Unconsciously, she took a step back, what if he was just like his father. Evil, conniving, working with the Earl. Had she mentioned evil? But then again, what if Lyra's uncle was telling the truth, and he had been trying to tell her, to save her.

"Don't be like that cousin Lyra. Family help each other, and pops let you go didn't he?" His eyes were soft, and fact relatively blank of expression.

"For. The. Last. Time. I am _NOT _Lyra."

"Say whatever you want, but just take a moment to look long and hard at the facts." Yuuki couldn't come up with any clever responses, so she bounded off toward the Akuma. Face set morosely, lower lip pressed firmly in a bite. As he turned to leave, he threw a shiny object over his shoulder. Yuuki didn't catch it, so it cluttered to the floor. It was a locket, but there wasn't time to look at what it contained. The battle was still raging, the Akuma were still massing, and not enough had been done.

_Be safe, __**cousin, mother**_.

"Valkyrie's Vigil!" A familiar warming sensation spread out, and the battle took to the skies. Summoning up a large water Einherjar, she managed to obliterate a group of three Akuma in one fell swoop. Yuuki caught a small glimpse of Halite floating away. She'd pay. Very dearly.

"Hey! Your opponent is me!" She shouted toward it, knocking off her barbed tail, where it shattered to the floor. The fight had only begun; she was just evening the playing field. After all, any other type of Akuma would be long dead, Halite just happened to have the perfect facilities to counter her moves.

Her dolls weren't enough, unlike most Akuma, Halite possessed a shield that could reflect most attacks, so Yuuki's fight turned out hard, and rather unfair. That didn't mean Halite was unscathed, it just meant that she was _more _scathed.

"Reginleif!" Small drops of water rose from the falling rain, merged, and pelted themselves at Halite, who was only hit by maybe twenty out of the thousands of fist sized balls. In return, a barrage of crystal shards launched at her, one smiting her heavily across the shoulder, throwing her back.

Her back slammed harshly against the concrete floor, burning her skin as she skidded. She groaned and winced as a sharp prick grew from her cheek. As Yuuki's arm drew back from wiping the stinging sensation, she discovered blood smeared across her arm. She gasped at the fire that licked hungrily at her spine. The cut on her leg was no better and she twisted in silent agony.

She gasped at the thin air and found the heat overbearing.

"Tired?" Halite asked, a low chuckle escaped through her grin.

Yuuki glared. With a yell, she forced her back with wind, and staggered to her feet. The sharp pain from her leg forced her to bend down to one knee. She gasped, releasing a groan trying to prevent the bleeding. She was too weak, and her dolls had stopped functioning with her inability to control her own conscious, there was no way she could manage two at the same time.

Yuuki ducked to avoid a long shard hurtling toward her, but not quickly enough, it smote heavily across her back, cutting through her skin. She screamed as pain blasted through her, forcing her to her knees. Agony bowed her body in half and obliterated all thought.

Yuuki rolled against the ground gasping, hot blood running down the spine of her back. Her hands pressed against the ground. She couldn't invocate; the world was spiraling into darkness. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She could taste blood; smell the metallic scent.

She was drowning in it.

And the pain couldn't be block out any more.

"Look at you," she said. "Broken, bleeding helplessly like an infant. Sad and pathetic for my tastes."

Her body shook and she blinked to hide the pain filled tears that spilled a cooling sensation in her burning face.

"Please…Eliza." She whispered softly, her throat burned painfully. "You told me you wanted to fight against these beings. Why…why are you one of them?"

"That won't work, there is no more Eliza!"

"You promised, I even took your offering for me to train you." She knew the rules, Exorcist wouldn't and couldn't converse on the terms of an Akuma, or they'd be subject to change into fallen ones. But at the current moment, Yuuki was absolutely sure. Eliza was in there somewhere. She only hoped she could draw Eliza back to the surface of the monster's consciousness, and go from there.

"**Yuuki?" **Yuuki would've cried from happiness, but didn't for the sake of her wounds, and the burning that was eating away most of her coherent thoughts.

"No! You shut up mortal!"

"**No."**

The screech was too loud for human ears; Yuuki could swear that her ears were bleeding; she tried to move her hands, but found that they wouldn't respond to her wishes.

"You pathetic human!" Slowly, the body of a monster melted away, but with every other inch of human flesh appearing, the Akuma writhed, and tried to restrain the change. "You weakling! You created me, why do you aim to destroy me?!" Finally, the last of the crystal evaporated, leaving the body of little Eliza. She floated down softly, and landed on her knees. But each passing moment seemed painful for the body, the gray matter was once again sprouting all over her. Soon the body of an Akuma would return.

"What's happening?" Yuuki murmured, unable to move from her place amongst the debris. But when she craned her neck painfully to glance at the spectacle, soft green orbs ones met her eyes. The eyes of the original Eliza, not one bit like ones of a sadistic Akuma.

"Please…Finish this."

"I can't move….I'm sorry." Yuuki managed to choke out, the pressure on her back became too much, and she began fading into the world of unconsciousness. Unfortunately for the second time that night.

"Yuuki!" a familiar voiced coaxed her to remain awake for a bit longer. Allen Walker's voice was like a lifeline, and she grabbed on, trying to stay vigilant. But it was impossible; the darkness was ever tempting, pulling her towards the other side.

"I'm sorry." The last thing she saw was a pair of gray eyes staring painfully at her. She couldn't be sure who they belonged to, but they were almost…soothing.

The darkness cradled her damaged consciousness. Whisking her into a land of no pain, either that or she was dead, and was being sent to heaven.

_Among the gray ashes are flames shining... first one, then two.  
Surfaces numerous of your faces  
A thousand dreams trickle back to earth. _

_**Who's singing? She asked herself, slipping off into a dreamless sleep.**_

"Goodbye, Eliza." Allen aimed his Cross Paling at the grotesque, partially Akuma, partially human body. The girl was losing control and fast. There was only so much time till the Akuma within could devour her true soul, and reign in the body back to its will. The explosion was massive, but the Akuma didn't even scream. All that was left afterward, was the ethereally transparent body of Eliza slowly dissolving into nothing.

_Take care of her would you? Oh and give the charm back, I won't need it where I'm going. _The little girl smiled one last time, and dissipated into a shower of sparkles.

"Sure." Allen smiled softly. He gently hoisted Yuuki into his arms, bounding off towards help.

"Yuuki! Lyra! For God's sake, Yuuki, just wake up!" Yuuki's blue-green eyes snapped open and as they adjusted to the light. Allen's blue-gray eyes were watching her from a chair next to the bed, one eyebrow raised in irritation and disbeliefs he could 'sleep' through all of Lavi's screeching at her. A slightly amused smirk tugged at his lips but as she attempted to sit up, his smile vanished and his eyes became deathly serious.

"Don't get up." Allen gently grasped her shoulder, and pushed her back down amongst the pillows before she was even a foot off the bed yet. When'd he become so protective?

"Well, since you're awake, I'm starvin', I'm gonna go grab something for me and Allen to eat before we wither away." Lavi ruffled his hair with one of his hands, chin upturned, and one eye barely open. On his way out the door, he winked, signaling that he'd be back soon.

Yuuki stared at Allen's whose face was oddly crestfallen in thought. His gray eyes were empty and clear for as she tried to see what he wondering about, her reflection reflected in his gaze. She licked her dry lips, cracking from the lack of moisture but as she did, she tasted something else. She ran her tongue over again to try and identify it but she couldn't place a name. It wasn't bad but she couldn't be sure if it was good either. But it sent her lips buzzing and she didn't know why.

Her eyes went to Allen's face, surprised that he hadn't spoken. Her fingertips touched the side of his face and her glassy eyes slid to his face, in a moment's time, he seemed to snap to attention. He smiled softly. He closed his eyes and sighed deeply and his bright eyes focused on her face, free from his inquiring mind. He took her hand, and placed back on the bed.

"Are you ok?" asked Yuuki. "You haven't said a word."

He straightened and shook his shoulders, "I'm alright. I am just thinking."

"What things?"

Allen did not answer but his eyes made a casual flick on her face and then said, "How do you feel?"

_He didn't answer the question,_ a thought in her head pointed out. Yuuki frowned but his mild gray eyes, as kind as they were, showed no sign of access. She exhaled. First she was going to smile and lie about being fine but as she took a deep breath, everything from her discomforts to thoughts seemed to explode out of her mouth:

"I don't want to be in bed. My butt hurts and my body aches every time I move and it doesn't help that it's so hard to move when I have all these bandages on me! Nobody's telling me what's going on and not even bothering to tell me how I got here in the first place. What happened? Where am I? And _I'm starving_!" She emphasized the last two words, her stomach gurgled. She stared wistfully at him, wishing for a stove to make some breakfast in.

Allen's face broke into smiles and her breathing slowed and she shut her mouth abashed by her unplanned outburst. "I'll try to remember all your questions…" he said, chuckling softly to himself, seemingly in a non-mocking manner, but failing miserably. "Let's see…I'm sure you're tired of being in bed, I'm sorry that you're in so much pain, you can give Komui compliments for putting you in bandages, I'll tell you what you've missed and you were carried in here almost half dead, _and_," he said holding up a finger, "I'll order you some lunch." His eyebrows furrowed stroking his chin in a philosophical way. One could imagine he just told you what the secret to life was, rather than a brief overview of what had happened. "Was that all?" Allen's eyes were mirthful, as if enjoying some inside joke.

"What…" Yuuki was afraid to ask, fearing the answer. "Happened to Eliza?"

"She died." Allen's answer was curt, devoid of facial expression, almost to an annoying point that he didn't seem sad. "Don't be sad though, she told me to thank you." Yuuki's eyes were rapidly watering; she tilted her head back to keep the tears from spilling over.

"She wanted me to give this back." Allen's lips curled into a sad smile, he reached into his black coat, and pulled out a small star charm. Eliza's.

"Keep it. I don't want the whole set." Allen smiled morosely, brows slightly furrowing, and slid it back into his pocket. He suddenly sat up and alert. "Quick," he hissed, "pretend to be asleep, Komui's coming!"

"What?!" Was the only thing Yuuki could say, before Allen shoved the blanket over her head, muffling her voice. Unknowingly, she actually did slip into sleep. She was glad that it was devoid of haunting dreams.

"Where am I again?" When Yuuki had awoken, Allen was once again, sitting dutifully at the side of the bed. Newspaper in hand.

"Cardigan's hospital." He didn't even look up, she couldn't quite see his eyes through the mop of hair covering them from view.

"Isn't a cardigan a type of jacket?"

"Dunno, not a fan of books, or big words." To emphasize his opinion, he held up the paper, printed in extra large font. The longest word on the page was probably 'problem.'

"You what?!" Once an apprentice to Yeeger, always an apprentice to Yeeger; and Yeeger was a teacher, something Yuuki definitely took after in. She was already mentally putting together a possible curriculum for him, and how to whip him into academic shape.

A knock came from the door; it wasn't Lavi, he would've just let himself on in. Instead it was a woman (luckily Lavi wasn't in the room, she was young, and blonde). In her hands was a bowl of stew.

"How are you feeling?" asked the woman pleasantly.

"_Just peachy._" Yuuki muttered even though it actually wasn't true. But the woman just smiled, clearly missing the point that it was sarcasm, and said her regards and left the room.

"I don't want this, it looks gross." Yuuki eyed the bowl sitting on the bedside table with disdain.

"It's clam chowder, what's wrong with it? The kitchen staff here is pretty good." Allen had a comical face, brow raised as if questioning her sanity. But that wasn't the case, Allen would eat anything.

"But it's made of _clams_, y'know, _seafood_." She cringed, scooting away from the steaming bowl, her lower face contorted with disgust. Allen sighed, as if speaking to a four-year-old child.

"Just eat the darn soup. I'll even feed you." He spooned it, and held it up to her mouth. Yuuki grimaced, and tried to look away. She swallowed with difficulty. Little did she know he was just as embarrassed as she was.

"Fine, fine, but when I hurl, _you're _going to be cleaning it up." Allen only smiled, and looked back down at his disgustingly large-print newspaper on last time before taking the spoon and bowl in his hands.

(The picture I used as a reference for Eliza's Akuma)

From Photobucket:

albums/jj124/killertrey_

Preview for next chapter: Cameron comes into the picture, but can he be trusted? What happened to Laurel?

"_London Bridge is falling down...falling down...falling down"_

Allen woke up after hearing the same melody from his childhood. He looked around the pitch-black room, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness but failed.

"_London Bridge is falling down...my fair Lyra..."_

Someone sang, adding in Yuuki's name and Allen got up, rather curious to see who was singing the song.

"Who are you?"

He called out into the darkness, feeling that he'd heard the voice somewhere before.

"_Build it up with wood and clay...wood and clay...wood and clay..."_

But the song continued, as if the singer did not hear Allen's comment.

"Where are you?"

Allen called out again, feeling chills go down his spine. He could not see further than a meter in front of him and even the bright moonlight did not clear out the heavy shadows. It was as if he was in another dimension...all alone...

"_Build it up with wood and clay, my fair Lyra..."_

Why did the chanter keep on mentioning Yuuki's name? How come she knew it in the first place?

"_Wood and clay will wash away...wash away...wash away..."_

"...Stop singing!"

Allen finally shouted, unable to take the monotone song any longer. He knew that voice; he knew it so well that he always wished to forget it. The sickly sweet voice of an evil thing, not even human.

"_Wood and clay will wash away...my fair Lyra..."_

Suddenly, Allen stopped dead on his tracks.

"Lavi! Komui! Yuuki!"

He called out, trying to feel his way out of the room.

Suddenly, the shadows disappeared and Allen could finally see the chanter. The girl sat on a wooden chair, her back turned to Allen.

"_Build it up with bricks and mortar...bricks and mortar...bricks and mortar..."_

Angered, Allen stormed up to the girl and looked at her face. Then, he stumbled a few steps back, his eyes wide, horrified. The thing before him was a doll.

"_Build it up with bricks and mortar...my fair Yuuki..." _Allen was worried; the voice knew both of Yuuki's names. That could only mean they were on to her. The hel-.

The daintily dressed doll shut its mouth and slowly, creakily turned to face the stunned boy. Then, after a minute of heavy silence, it grinned a blood-chilling grin, revealing its sharp canines, golden eyes narrowing.

Hope you enjoyed, please read and review!

Oh and a big round of applause to my awesome Beta, Sakra-chan! :)

Your humbled writer,

Z. :)

is a long one, maybe 50 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 30 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**ar, so I don't have much free time. **

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

Thanks to my reviewers also, I love you guys! :) If ya like what you're reading, feel free to leave a review!

Soulless Ghosty: I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the chapter please enjoy and continue to read/review!

Savage Kill: Who knows? Maybe she is **sly gin** I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the chapter please enjoy and continue to read/review!

Sakra-Chan: Thanks again SO much for betaing this chapter!

Earl Gray Tea: I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the chapter please enjoy and continue to read/review!

XLilim: Thanks! I thought it was due time for some YuukixAllen stuff, I'm not that great at fluff so I hope it didn't suck royally...Oh well! Enjoy the chapter and please continue to read and review!

Peter the Otaku: Yay, unfortunately, I've decided to reschedule the Noah thing, it seems like I need a bit of 'wind down' for the characters after that long battle. Please continue to read and review! It means a lot. :)

Yuuki: I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the chapter please enjoy and continue to read/review! :)

Lady of Ezio: Isn't Ezio that guy from AC? I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the chapter please enjoy and continue to read/review!

0Infinity0: Really? Thanks! It's nice to know I've improved, I read over some old chapters and nearly died at how bad they were! Thanks for reviewing and please continue to do so! Enjoy!

_**Enjoy enjoy enjoy! :) You guys are the best readers I could ask for! Thanks so much!**_

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray man.

Description of Valkyrie's Vigil (never got around to it, some of the abilities haven't been used yet, it's just what I've planned out thus far.) (And yes, I'm a jerk, this is all subject to change.)

Long range; takes the form of smallish wings. ( www . / resultfiles/27909 anime% ) Thanks to Earl Gray Tea for sending me the pic, I think it's just about right. Only substitute the person's hair color with auburn, and eye color with blue-green.

Essence is contained in the ink drawing on her back. (Sort of like a tattoo)

Known Offensive Moves: (Someone tell me if these are lame, or too Mary sue) (PS You can submit more if you'd like.)

-Einherjar Level 1 (I thinks its pronounced Iron-ah-jars, but I'm not sure.)

Places artificial spirits into inanimate objects for a very limited time. Limited access of what the object can or can't do. Cannot change its make up. One makes it move according to orders. Only one at a time.

Example: Water doll: Makes water move on its own accord.

-Reginleif: Creates shapes from Einherjar animated objects.

-Sigrun: Can loosely manipulate the weather, so that different 'dolls' can be created.

Is this too mary sue? Leave a response with your answer.

Rural Cardigan is a wonderful village. The multileveled city grows in and around the forest that dominated the land before the city was founded, and still exists jutting up through the walkways and between the buildings. The air was so fresh it almost tasted good and well water tasted like freshly brewed tea for some reason.

Unfortunately, urban Cardigan is a hodgepodge of chaos and pollution all rolled up into a neat little town with a near obsession with the color white. Meaning the walls, ground, doors, windows, and signs were all that color. How they managed to stay so in the dusty town was beyond anyone's knowledge.

Most unfortunately, the hospital was situated close to the town's train station for whatever reason. On Thursdays, Saturdays, and Mondays, you could not open the window or train exhaust would enter your room, and it took forever to exit.

The nicest part of the town was probably Cyril's mansion, the house of an Earl. A nurse had been kind enough to mention every aspect of the town during her first few days of treatment. Thank goodness for nurses, and their abilities to talk nonstop, occasionally gushing out a bit of useful information.

One aspect that Yuuki had found interesting was that Cyril was an Earl of another country, yet he owned a rather large estate in England. He was married with no children, and had an adopted daughter named _Dora Kamelot_. Either it was just a coincidence, or no one from the Order had noticed before, it was an anagram for someone she knew.

ROAD Kamelot

DORA Kamelot

Dora was just Road spelled backwards with the A and R switched.

Strange? Yes. Impossible? No. Suspicious? Definitely.

She would ask Komui to issue a mission to investigate.

"Uh miss?" The nurse poked her head into the room, "you have some visitors…"

"Tell them I'm asleep." What if it was Cameron again, with more flowers? The ones already in the room were giving her allergies so she'd chucked them into the hallway with a 'To Laurel' tag on them.

"They're rather exuberant…" The blonde nurse seemed nervous, wringing her hands every so often.

"Alright, send them in." It could not be Allen or Lavi, they'd been called back to Pembryn to do some reconnaissance. 'Oh, speak of the devil,' she thought, 'it's them.'

"Yuuuuukkkkiiiiiiiiiii!" Lavi shouted, running into her room, and throwing his arms around her, "Allen is a bullllyyyyyyy" He stressed every word, and in her damaged state, it took a few seconds for what he said to sink in. Allen? A bully?

"Why is that?" From the corner of her eye, she could see Allen bury his face in his hands.

"Why can he stay here in the hospital with you during the day? It's not fair!" Lavi whined, pouting furiously at the display before him.

"You just want to hit on the nurses. In fact, you already have today, twice!" Allen retorted.

"Hmph."

"Stop pouting Lavi. You'll wrinkle," Yuuki teased before casting another look at Allen who was smiling broadly at her.

"Anyway, we brought you a new coat," Allen informed her.

"I only brought one in my suitcase."

"That's because it's Allen's coat." Lavi told her sheepishly, scratching the back of his head. "Besides, you'd look super cute wearing it. You're the only Exorcist shorter than Allen!" He was promptly smacked upside the head by Allen. Very hard.

Straightening her slacking posture, Yuuki replied, "I was taught that it's what's inside you that counts rather than appearances."

"Your organs count more than how you look? That's weird." Allen said. When Yuuki looked as if she was to say something nasty back, he chortled, "I'm just teasing, Yuuki, I know what you mean."

"Can you two be any more of an annoyance?"

"Technically," Lavi said putting a finger to his lip innocently, "We can."

"Miss Yeeger?" The nurse was back, and with a blonde one. This was definitely bad; Lavi had already frozen still. Any minute now, he would pounce faster than Master Cross could say 'where's my booze,' which was conveniently the only thing she'd ever heard him say.

"Yes?"

"There's a Mr. Camooey on the phone." She said it like Caw-moo-ee. The very sound made her chuckle to herself. The nurse looked skeptical, raising an eyebrow at her patient's sudden mirthful outburst.

_Not good, not good!_ She chanted in her brain serving another corner. Why did the town have to be so frick'n huge?! She grumbled under her breath. Her feet tapped as they ran across the ground, making a clicking noise that caused many civilians to turn and glare with distaste. Mornings were supposed to be quiet, like in a novel where the birds were chirping and the sun was shining.

Today was the day Komui and Lenalee would be arriving to check on her condition, and debrief her. She'd been given the important duty of picking them up from the train station. Yuuki had received a phone call from them two weeks earlier. Since her condition was more or less decent, minus the brace on her leg, leftover wounds, and bandages, she was supposed to go pick them up.

The problem was that she was hopelessly lost. She grit her teeth as she slid to a stop, her ebony hair over her face as her head swerved, glancing around. Annoyance made her scream, but dignity stopped it halfway making it release into a high-pitched hiss. _Gah! _She spat drumming her fingers against her thigh. She stomped her foot, scratching her head trying to think. Her little temper tantrum was already drawing a small spectacle; civilians whispered and pointed fingers at her. On top of that she received a few disapproving raised eyebrows. Yuuki silently wished they would stop staring; it was beginning to get embarrassing.

More than anything, she wished that someone would come so she could ask them for directions. Being dubbed 'weirdo' would only be a mild consequence if she could find out how to get to the station.

Or a map.

_Yeah, a map sounds good._ She decided. With a low curse, she ran towards the nearest corner. She could picture this great. Her coming in late; Komui could be high on sugar, causing a near death experience to all the other passengers. Either that or a near death experience for Komui himself, if one of the people he was annoying happened to have a sharp stick.

Yuuki rounded the corner. At the sound of voices, her spirit lifted slightly. Suddenly, something firm blockaded her, making her stumble back. Thankful for her solid footing, she glanced up to see who she had bumped into. Her spirits dropped significantly.

_Darn. _

"Hey cousin!" Cameron's face broke into a wide smile. A few bandages covered his face, but he was nonetheless fine next to Laurel and herself. A daisy and clover bouquet in his hand threatened to make her grass allergy act up.

"Hi." Yuuki responded curtly, not even bothering to correct him. Who knows, maybe he was even right. She did not know what to believe anymore, all the facts contradicted, and some of them were starting to stand out. Too much to simply ignore, and act naïve about. The resemblance could be coincidence, but how did the timeline match? How did the facts mesh perfectly? Like an unfinished puzzle, the pieces happened to match; coincidence or not?

"Have'ya finally come your senses?" He seemed hopeful, the playful expression barely leaving his features. His hands wrung nervously around the bouquet, constantly changing their position. His tooth chewed on his lower lip.

"About what?" Yuuki let an eyebrow be raised, and looked skeptically at him.

"About your family ties." There was edge to his voice, one she did not quite understand.

"I don't know what to believe…" Her voice was laced with hurt, the longing, yet the fear. If he was not right, how could she steal the place of Lyra Forsythe?

"You don't have to take my word, Auntie has a way to prove it!" He was excited now, an almost wild look in his eyes, smile on his face.

"How?" Yuuki shifted uncomfortably under his scrutiny, shuffling her feet a bit.

"Come to her hospital room later, room two twenty eight." Ironically, it was right next door to her's.

"…Uh... alright?" However, he did not hear, he was already running off in the direction of the hospital. In other words, the door to the left of her; she was outside the hospital, which meant that in the past half hour, she'd gone nowhere. Yuuki let a cry of frustration leave her lips, and stomped her foot. Bad idea, she'd stomped the foot with the brace on it. The injured one. 'Smooth, real smooth.' She told herself silently, reprimanding her carelessness. She limped off toward where the train station should have been. If not then she could always ask for directions.

Yuuki made a mental note to kill Komui. She'd been sitting at the station for the past hour, watching two trains worth of people empty out, and she'd yet to see him and Lenalee.

She sat there, doing nothing but waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting.

Nevertheless, even as the last of passengers exited the train, there was no sign of Kanda, Lenalee, or even Komui. She felt self-conscious as some of the passengers glanced over, children pointed, and the mothers slapped their hands, informing them that it was rude to point.

"Look at her coat, she's an _Exorcist_." Yuuki did not need to look around; there was no doubt that they were talking about her.

"They're witches; those lot." Innocence was not witchcraft; it was power to defend the innocent.

"Bet it's a scam to make money off us regular folk, why else do they dress in such a flashy way?" _So, we can attract the Akuma's attention before you do. Better me than you. _Yuuki thought bitterly. Why were these people so ungrateful?

"Those crazies, runnin' round like they're actually doing something, I say they're the problem." The farmer spat onto the rails, the piece of hay he was chewing on landed in a saliva-covered bunch on the floor. Disgusting, what a vile citizen.

"Did'ya hear what they did to Pembryn down in the valley?"

"They attract trouble; remember the last one that came here?"

"Mommy, what happened to her?" The little girl set a directing finger toward her, turning sideways to talk to her mother.

"Sweetie, this is why you can never drink something called alcohol. It makes you do crazy things like this girl here." The mother's voice was rough, and menacing. There was no doubt that she had wanted Yuuki to hear that comment.

"Mommy, I think she's sad, wait here." It was a different child who spoke, unlike the others; he had no edge of malice in his voice, only genuine curiosity.

"Wait!" It was only a few moments before a little boy and his mother came running up to her. The boy had blue eyes to match a head of curly blonde hair, a typical Englishman. He held a large unwrapped lollipop in his hand, one of the ones you could only get at the circus. The mother looked exactly like him, also very young, maybe in her late twenties. With a swollen stomach, it was obvious that she was pregnant; mentally, Yuuki flipped through her knowledge of pregnancy and estimated that the woman was pretty far into her third trimester.

"Say, lady, are you waiting for someone?" The boy asked, pointing his lollipop at her.

"Yes, can I help you?"

"Nah, just wondering. What happened to you?" His mother did a double take, and immediately covered her son's mouth.

"Milton, be quiet _now_!" She then turned to Yuuki and gave a forced smile. "I'm sorry, my son is lacking in manners."

"No, its fine. A monster attacked me."

"You mean like the one under my bed?"

"No…not exactly…"

"Oh my gosh! Mom, see I told you there are other monsters like the one under my bed!"

"Honey that's nice."

"Is there a Yuuki Yeeger here?" There lazy conductor did not even bother getting out of his slouched position, he just tipped his hat backwards out of his face, and waved a telegram message in the air, probably waiting for the lout to go collect it themselves. Dead wrong.

"Bring it here," Yuuki tried to keep her voice level, but added some thing for effect, a gruff, "now." It may have been the glare she gave him, or the fact that she was a customer with connections, she would never know. Nonetheless, he scampered over with telegram in hand. Her mood changed immediately, she smiled widely up and him.

"Thank you!"

"Hey Yoki, how'd ya do that?" The boy asked, swinging his legs again the side of the bench, his face curious. The boy had probably learned her name when the conductor shouted it, what a smart kid.

She smiled back at him. "That, my friend, is the art of intimidation."

CDG ENG

SORRY STOP WE MADE A MISTAKE ABOUT THE DAY WE GET THERE STOP HI THIS IS KOMUI STOP UNFORTUNATELY UNLIKE THE ORDER COMPUTERS THAT HAVE BACKSPACE THE TELEGRAM MACHINES DO NOT HAVE THAT OR PUNCTUATION STOP CAN YOU READ THIS ALRIGHT IF SO DO NOT FRET WE WILL BE THERE TOMORROW STOP SEE YOU THEN STOP

SINCERELY

LENALEE

STOP

PS. SO WE DO NOT HAVE TO CONTACT YOU LIKE THIS FROM NOW ON WE HAVE BROUGHT YOU A GOL-

The message cut off abruptly, she had probably hit 'sent' on accident while typing the last bit. What in the world was a GOL?

For the umpteenth time, Yuuki cried out in frustration, scaring the boy and his mother.

She sat and talked with them a while longer, until they had to head to the hospital for the woman's check up. Since they were at the same hospital, Yuuki promised to visit as soon as possible.  
_

"Allen, you can't skip sentences just because you don't want to read them, read it again."

"As she sat down between the roots of a large tree contemplating how long she could tarry in this serene part of the wood before some her father's company came looking for her, and the seasoning to their dinner. She figured that she should probably rise immediately as it was nearing dusk and make her way back to the company, but for some reason she couldn't find the will to. The colors of the brisk afternoon swam as her eyelids slowly closed over peaceful eyes. Basket and task forgotten, she slipped into peaceful slumber."

"That's better," to quell her boredom, Yuuki had taken up post as Allen's teacher. After all, the only things you'd learn traveling with General Cross were: How to woo women, how to escape debt collectors, how to drink gratuitous amounts of wine and not get drunk, etc.

"What does contemplating mean?"

"It means to think deeply."

"I don't understand the story," Allen's voice was groggy and soft, his head was on the side of the mattress.

"Then read it again." There was no answer, and a light snoring caught her attention, he was asleep. A smile graced her features, she loved it when people slept. It took all the worry from their faces.

She looked away from the window and watched Allen.

"He's still staring." He muttered in an undertone.

"Who's still staring?" Deciding to use Allen's sleep talking habits to glean some good blackmail material, a devilish smirk graced her face.

"That stupid Bakanda, …I don't look like a stir fried bean sprout…"

"_London Bridge is falling down...falling down...falling down"_

Allen woke up after hearing the same melody from his childhood days in the circus. He looked around the pitch-black room, trying to adjust his eyes to the darkness but failed.

"_London Bridge is falling down...my fair Lyra..."_

Someone sang, adding in Yuuki's name and Allen got up, rather curious to see who was singing the song.

"Who are you?"

He called out into the darkness, feeling that he'd heard the voice somewhere before.

"_Build it up with wood and clay...wood and clay...wood and clay..."_

But the song continued, as if the singer did not hear Allen's comment.

"Where are you?"

Allen called out again, feeling chills go down his spine. He could not see further than a meter in front of him and even the bright moonlight did not clear out the heavy shadows. It was as if he was in another dimension...all alone...

"_Build it up with wood and clay, my fair Lyra..."_

Why did the chanter keep on mentioning Yuuki's name? Why did she know it in the first place?

"_Wood and clay will wash away...wash away...wash away..."_

"...Stop singing!"

Allen finally shouted, unable to take the monotone song any longer. He knew that voice; he knew it so well that he always wished to forget it. The sickly sweet voice of an evil thing, not even human. Though he'd never heard it in the flesh, it haunted his nightmares.

"_Wood and clay will wash away...my fair Lyra..."_

Suddenly, Allen stopped dead on his tracks.

"Lavi! Komui! Yuuki!"

He called out, trying to feel his way out of the room.

Suddenly, the shadows disappeared and Allen could finally see the chateur. The girl sat on a wooden chair, her back turned to Allen.

"_Build it up with bricks and mortar...bricks and mortar...bricks and mortar..."_

Angered, Allen stormed up to the girl and looked at her face. Then, he stumbled a few steps back, his eyes wide, horrified. The thing before him was a doll.

"_Build it up with bricks and mortar...my fair Yuuki..." _Allen was worried; the voice knew both of Yuuki's names. That could only mean they were on to her. The hel-.

The daintily dressed doll shut its mouth and slowly, creakily turned to face the stunned boy. Then, after a minute of heavy silence, it grinned a blood-chilling grin, revealing its sharp canines, golden eyes narrowing.

"Allen darling, the wait is over." Its voice was raspy and soft, similar to one of a smoker.

Allen awoke in cold sweat, heart pounding, and adrenaline pumping through his veins. Every shadow on the wall was a monster, ever creak of the room was an advancing enemy army, and every cricket chirp was the dying scream of an innocent. What was in store for them? Had God abandoned them? He surely hoped that he was incorrect, but soon, a new enemy would take the stage.

"Allen? What's the matter?" Came a groggy voice, Yuuki lifted her head up and squinted at him, her hair mussed.

"Nothing," he did his best to smile.

Chatuer: Singer in French, also sometimes refers to an 'evil' presence with a nice sounding voice. Think Greek sirens.

Author's Note: I'm going to count Jasdebi (AKA: Jasdero and Debitto) as one Noah, since they can fuse, whereas in the manga they're referred to as the 10th and 11th disciple. Yeah, this is due to the fact that I'm a bit irked that there are only two female Noah. (Haha, no I'm not a radical feminist, I just find it a bit annoying.) Therefore, I'm going to make the 11th disciple someone else.

~OMAKES

The Birds and the Bees (…must die)

"Grandpa, where do babies come from?"

If General Yeeger were anybody else, he would have spit out the black coffee he was drinking. Luckily, He was Kevin Yeeger and he had more dignity than that, being a teacher, there weren't very many questions that fazed him anymore. However, this was always the one that caught him off guard.

"I beg your pardon, Yuuki?"

Yuuki swung her legs against Yeeger's couch. She had crawled over to her grandpa's side of the carriage sofas with a troubled look on her face and a question on her mind.

"Where do babies come from?"

Marshall Yeeger sat down next to Yuuki, he ruffled her hair as he thought.

"Why do you suddenly want to know?"

Yuuki batted his hand away, puffing her cheeks out when he chuckled at her.

"Well, I was reading one of the books at the bookstore…" Yeeger held his hand up. "Yuuki, this isn't something that someone as little as you needs to know." Yuuki rounded her eyes out, trying to give her the surefire puppy eyes again.

"Please, grandpa?" Yeeger sighed; he would hope to wait until much later to tell her of such things. Maybe after she had turned…twenty-nine, thirty sounded like a better number. A nice ways away anyways…

"Yuuki, when a man and a woman share a love that is not platonic…"

~One very awkward talk later~

"Do you understand?" Yeeger did not even bat an eye throughout the whole explanation, whereas Yuuki was huddled on the floor of the carriage blushing furiously.

"Does that mean my papa and mama…?"

"Yes."

"Ew." She cringed, wrinkling her nose and making a gagging motion.

"I know, and that's why you have to wait until you're 29 and married."

"How 'bout never?"

"Well, I _do _want grandkids, so maybe not never…" He smiled slyly, but upon hearing no reply, he looked over. Yuuki was passed out cold. "Kids these days can't take a joke." He raised an eyebrow, and went back to grading her homework from the day before.

Don't You Touch My Breadsticks

Her teal eyes flicked over to Allen who was currently busy chomping on a breadstick and paying absolutely no attention to anything else. A small version of Mount Everest composed completely of empty dishes and plates say next to him. Smiling inwardly, her fingers twitched almost imperceptibly and she watched as the bread in Allen's hand broke apart just as he was about to take a bite.

"Huh?" Having bitten down on nothing but air, Allen turned his gray-blue eyes to the stick in his hand and blinked in confusion at it. With a shrug, he went to toss the rest of the bread into his mouth, but it too disappeared before reaching its destination.

Thoroughly confused now, Allen blinked at his hand before glancing around the room, when he noticed no one seemed to be paying attention he snaked another breadstick from the plate in front of him. His eyes roamed the room suspiciously for a moment before he brought the stick towards his lips. Grinned when nothing happened to the delicious treat, he bit down eagerly.

Again, he bit nothing but air. He grumbled in annoyance and rubbed the side of his face, which was pulled into a cute, pouty frown as he stared at the rest of the delicious breadsticks buttered to perfection before him. He growled before quickly bringing the breadstick towards his mouth, not once letting go of it.

"Hey," he shouted, jumping from the cafeteria bench when, once again, he bit down on nothing.

Yuuki turned her head away to look out the window; everyone else had turned to look curiously at the angry Allen who was ranting about disappearing breadsticks. A tiny smile graced her lips as she watched his reflection in the window.

"That was a bit mean," a soft voice said teasingly from behind her.

"Hmm," she hummed as she turned her head to look at Lenalee who was standing behind her, grinning widely.

"Making poor Allen's precious breadsticks disappear, it's awfully cruel." Lenalee took a seat beside her, a playful glint in her eyes.

"I did no such thing," Yuuki replied blankly, turning away from the violet-eyed girl. "Well, I didn't make it disappear anyways." She flicked her dainty wrist towards Allen's seat.

Scattered around the white haired boy's chair were pieces of breadcrumbs.

"Do you think he'll notice?" Lenalee asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not likely," Yuuki replied disinterestedly before sliding out of her bench now that lunch was finished. "See you later Allen!" He did not seem to hear her, he was still ranting about the breadstick thief.

Thanks so much for reading!

Thanks so much to my awesome Beta, Sakra-Chan!

I included some omakes to break the tension! :)

Your humbled writer,

Z.


	5. Part 4

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 40 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**Oh my gosh! I'm at over 150 reviews! Thank you SOOO much! I've tried my best to make this chapter longer than the usual ones as a treat for that! **

**And as always, I'm EXTREMELY sorry for the late update! Its state test season, and with high school coming up next year, I don't have much time! DX'**

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

Satou-Kimuta: I'm so sorry about that, I really do want to find more time to write, but with all the exams, hw and high school prep stuff piling up, its really hard to find the time... DX I will try to get another chapter out ASAP though. Thanks for your support and please continue to read and review! :) PS. Yeah...it is kinda cliche, but there's a lot I'd like to change about this story, yet I can't...sorry

Soulless Ghosty: Yup, its always bothered me too, also how there's only 2 girl noah...DX Thanks for reading, and please continue to read and review! :)

_**Enjoy enjoy enjoy! :) You guys are the best readers I could ask for! Thanks so much!**_

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray man.

**SORRY! THIS IS THE UNEDITED VERSION! I haven't had time to send it to my beta. I WILL SEND THIS TO MY BETA ASAP, AND POST THE REVISED VERSION! I apologize again!**

Description of Valkyrie's Vigil (never got around to it, some of the abilities haven't been used yet, it's just what I've planned out thus far.) (And yes, I'm a jerk, this is all subject to change.)

Long range; takes the form of smallish wings. ( www . / resultfiles/27909 anime% ) Thanks to Earl Gray Tea for sending me the pic, I think it's just about right. Only substitute the person's hair color with auburn, and eye color with blue-green.

Essence is contained in the ink drawing on her back. (Sort of like a tattoo)

Known Offensive Moves: (Someone tell me if these are lame, or too Mary sue) (PS You can submit more if you'd like.)

-Einherjar Level 1 (I thinks its pronounced Iron-ah-jars, but I'm not sure.)

Places artificial spirits into inanimate objects for a very limited time. Limited access of what the object can or can't do. Cannot change its make up. One makes it move according to orders. Only one at a time.

Example: Water doll: Makes water move on its own accord.

-Reginleif: Creates shapes from Einherjar animated objects.

-Sigrun: Can loosely manipulate the weather, so that different 'dolls' can be created.

Is this too mary sue? Leave a response with your answer.

I have another note to mention this chapter.

Over the last year writing this story (time sure goes by fast,) I have received compalints, and lot of dazzling reviews, but the real question is: Do the bulk of my readers want the story to stick around? I've noticed the number of reviewers has gone done rapidly, and I'm wondering if people are losing interest, or just have gotten sick of the story. Feel free to PM me, or review to give me your outlook on this. Thanks, it means a lot!

Yuuki took a deep breath, feeling the cool air enter her lungs, soothing her frazzled being. She stood before the door of her recently discovered 'mother'.

"Ms. Forsythe, you wanted to speak to me?"

Her statement was replied with a petite nod. The woman's long fingers fingered Yuuki's wrist.

"I think its due time I tell you what happened that day you left our family." A misty glaze covered the mother's eyes, as if remembering a far off dream, or reality. Her face was neutral and apathetic so it was difficult to read her emotions.

"For starters, your father was Marshall Alexander Forsythe…"

She started her story, one beginning like a fairytale, and ending like a bitter poem. Her own brother in law had betrayed her family to the Earl, sending Akuma after them. When they had tried to flee, there had been a hot pursuit.

"At one point, we knew we wouldn't be able to get away…we only had to save our children and the Innocence." At this point, her face pulled into a deep frown, and her eyes narrowed. Yuuki still tried to stay expressionless, gauge the whole situation before making a decision of what to feel. "There was nowhere to stash it, so we hid it the only place we knew they wouldn't bother to look, a jewel on a locket that I had been wearing." Yuuki closed her eyes silently, remembering back when traveling with her grandpa, that charm she'd been found with. The one that gave her the power of Innocence. The one she'd never been able to open. The jewel that had melted to allow her to hide it. Yuuki hadn't ever thought much about the broken locket; it had just been another broken aspect of her life. But, upon hearing that it belonged to her mother, a wave of sadness claimed her. She'd never been able to see the inside, it wasn't that Yuuki hadn't kept it, but it was badly damaged. Opening it may have proven forever impossible.

"What was inside?" It was the first time Yuuki had spoken since the story had begun.

"A family portrait, the last one taken before the incident." Laurel's voice was sad, eyes glazed over as if remembering a distant memory. "You know your father and I were affiliated with the Order as well."

"You were? Did you two work as exorcists?"

"No, he was, I was just a scientist who happened to see him once in a while." A faint smile traced her features, a small spark danced in her eyes. "But, our happiness there was short lived, on a visit to the North American branch, we...discovered something we shouldn't have. The two of us were put up for heresy, and judged guilty."

"What did you discover?" Intrigued, Yuuki leaned forward a bit, resting her chin on an upturned palm.

"I hope you never have to know, you will never think of the Order in the same way ever again."

"Will I know what it is if I ever find out?"

"Yes, they are called the Third program, but I sorely hope they've discontinued it by now." The way Laurel said it, with a sense of finality, shut off the topic for further discussion.

She continued; telling of the carriage falling into a fissure, injuring everyone. Only allowing herself, and her daughter Lyra to escape, taking shelter from the raging snow in an old church. When she had returned, the rest of the family had died, and she tried to lead the Akuma away from the church. Eventually, the story came in full circles; her mother had fallen into the ocean from a cliff. The Akuma hadn't ever found her, and a few days later, her grandpa had found her.

After the eerie tale had finished, an uneasy silence fell upon the two.

"Isn't the sky beautiful? Above Pembryn?"

Glad to have started a conversation with her after nearly five minutes of silence, Yuuki looked up. The sun hung in the sky casting both light and shadow in Pembryn. Across the valley, the sky was its clear blue and could have looked to stretch quite endlessly if it was not for the buildings that stood in the way. She smiled at the open space. "Yes it is."

The wrinkles around her lips deepened into her skin as she smiled. "Will you be joining us there after we rebuild?" She asked, an almost pleading tone in her voice.

Yuuki shook her head. "No, I'll be fighting in the war."

She waited for the woman to speak against her response but nothing came. Her eyes were still staring at the sky with a glassy gaze, and then her eyes rolled to her.

"Very good." She in turn patted Yuuki's hand. Yuuki felt a strong tug at the sleeve of her shirt; Laurel donned a rather worried expression.

"Don't be too reckless," she warned tapping Yuuki's nose thoughtfully, "A battlefield is not a place for mistakes for if you did, you'd pay for it dearly."

Uncertain by her mother's kind tone but grave words, the lines on her forehead deepened, their thoughts were interrupted by Allen entering the room in a slight panic.

"Yuuki, Komui is here, and he wants to see you in your room."

"I'll see you around, mother." She gave her small bow of her head. Unknowingly her, Laurel smiled at the thought that she could be considered a mother to the daughter she had lost so long ago.

"This is very bad," Komui's face was pulled into a serious frown, "Can you feel your legs at all? During the battle, were you ever hit heavily on the back?" The very direction the conversation was going made Yuuki extremely nervous. Her feet shifted uncomfortably, and her face was pulled into a grimace.

"Yes, I believe so…but it was just a bruise,"

"Well apparently not,"

"I'm afraid that a disk in your spine has been damaged, and almost all of your pain receptors have been partially or completely shut off. On top of that, your organ functions are slowly shutting down because your brain signals aren't all making it to their destinations."

"What does this mean?" Her heartbeat was too fast for her liking and rather irregular; her breaths came in short gasps.

"I won't say this lightly, you have two options. There is a high-risk procedure that could be performed, but the survival chance is only about fifty percent. Afterwards, the recovery period is about a month considering our superior technology at the Order. Another is that you rehabilitate for a while and see what happens, and whether you will heal, however this will take months, maybe even years."

"Yuuki, you can't sit out that many battles, we need you now!" Allen insisted, face pulled into a frown as if the emphasize his point."

"Allen! Don't push her!"

"I can't sit out battles, the world needs us. I have no choice, I pick the surgery…"

"Are you sure? None of us would hold it against you if you choose rehabilitation…" He glared at Allen, daring him to talk against him.

"No, if there's a chance, I want to take it. As little recovery time as possible."

"Alright then, we'll leave tomorrow, I'll call ahead for them to get the things ready for you…" He got up, and dusted his coat, and he turned to toward the door to leave. With his hand on the doorknob, he turned to Allen, whispered something in his ear.

Even though Yuuki could not hear it, Allen did as clear as day.

"Allen, I'm disappointed in you,"

"I'm sorry."

"That doesn't solve anything."

"What if it doesn't work out?" Yuuki's whole body felt numb, and her insides felt cold. What would happen if she could not be sent into the field again? Would they take the Innocence from her? Cut it from her body and leave her to die? What if she died while in surgery?

"It'll be fine," Allen told her, face completely calm yet a sense of worry in his eyes.

"You don't know that." Her voice was low, morose, and he could not see her face.

His voice was so confident, so assured she wondered if he truly believed them himself. And by the look his blue eyes gave her behind his white bangs, he did. But she didn't. All the negative aspects of the situation clawed at her conscious_._ But she swallowed the words and gave him a quiet nod instead.

"I was a prat."

"A prat? Perhaps. But stupid, most defiantly."

"Says the pessimist,"

Yuuki raised a dark eyebrow at the boy before her.

"Aren't you supposed to be encouraging me instead of pointing out my faults?" she asked sourly standing up to brush off the invisible dust of her clothes.

There a small smile.

"True. But pointing out your stupidity is fun all the same."

"But I keep my promises, here; give me a charm from your bracelet."

A short, unsure look from her came his way, he was surprised, but after a few blinks, and it was gone from her face. She reached onto her charm bracelet and snapped a charm off with a small 'click' noise. Yuuki proffered it to him.

"When you're back on the field, I'll give this back to you. Come find me." Allen pocketed the charm.

"You know what this means right?" Yuuki's voice was slightly lighter, once again, containing a slightly teasing tone.

"Hm?" He skeptically raised a silver brow, smiling softly. "What?"

"You can't die either," she smiled at him. "I'll see you soon, but I'm still angry with you."

The next day, after bidding goodbye to the group, Yuuki boarded a train home with Komui and a few Finders returning to the Order headquarters. She had given Allen a hug, Lavi a hug, Cameron a handshake, for her mother, she'd given a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Yuuki did not know if she would see any of them ever again. However, she sorely hoped she would. She had promised her mother that she would call, and visit whenever possible. On the train, for a while, she simply sat, and watched as scenery passed the windows.

With a groan, she closed her eyes finding comfort in the darkness. Then a thought, a dim spark of memory returned to her breaking through the confusion in her mind. Yet, as much as she wanted to see what it held, the reminiscence, just a fast, fell away. She let out cry of anguish in the darkness wishing for nothing more for the comfort that it seemed to hold. She squeezed her eyes firmly begging dreams to take her from the pain. Then voices sounded somewhere and the faint sound of shoes thumping against the ground filled the still air. A blue green eye opened to squint at where the direction of the conversation was. Her hearing was slightly off; she only heard snippets here and there, of what they were saying.

"_Lucky to…surgery…success"_

"_It…touch and go…while." Without even thinking, their voice lulled her back to sleep. The only thought on her mind was:_

_**I'm still alive**__. A ghost of a smile graced her face._

"I can't take it anymore!" Yuuki shouted, grumpily tromping into the lab. Her face was the picture of intimidation, lips pulled into a pout, and brows angled dangerously down wards. Her leg brace clicking on the tile floor, and occasionally leaving a scuff mark.

She slammed her tray of coffee onto one of the lab tables, and plopped into a sitting position on the floor. After a few moments, the scientists decided it would be safe to approach her and glean their morning dose of coffee. The decadent aroma of freshly ground coffee made by Jerry himself seasoned with cinnamon, peppermint, and his 'secret ingredient' was too much for a man or woman of science to resist. At least once a day, one of them asked her what Jerry's secret ingredient was, and she was not about to reveal it. It had taken a good week after her release from the medical ward to threaten it from him.

"Say, this cup o' Joe is mighty tasty, you want to tell me wha-"

"Hush." Yuuki cut him off abruptly; he sulked back to his position amongst the hodgepodge of books and computers.

Her past week had consisted of bringing coffee to the scientists, helping Jerry in the kitchen, and making sure the matron never caught her.

Her new Automated Electronic Golum Intelligence System (happily dubbed 'Aegis') trailed behind her. Turning to the scientists, it let out a snicker. It then flew back toward its owner, plopping its silver and black body onto Yuuki's shoulder. Aegis's silver wings tucked at its side, and Spiral Triskelion face splitting open in a yawn.

It had been about four weeks since she had been brought back to Central, a little less than four weeks since the surgery on her spinal cord. God had smiled down on her, and given her the better side of the fifty/fifty chance of failure.

The close to five hour surgery had been a huge success, Komui had patched up the broken disk in her spine, removed the crystal shards embedded too far into her body to be pulled out from the outside, and set the sprained arm that the doctors in Cardigan had conveniently forgot about. She made a mental note never to visit that town for medical reasons ever again. The only downside was that once the disk was fixed, all her pain sensors to fully open up again. Yuuki felt an immediately rush of pain upon waking from her surgery even though she'd been dosed on high painkillers, which unfortunately cause her to be 'woopy' as the matron put it. For a few days after, Komui wrote down a list of phrases and words that she had been caught saying when he'd gone to visit her.

**Cumquats and radiators**

**Wheat grass tastes good with frogs**

**Yellow Santa**

**Kanda would look nice with a braid**

**Freaks bake pie (**Jerry had taken offense to this one)

**Zuchinis are made of rainbows (Komui obviously wasn't aware that Zucchinis had two Cs in it.)**

The list went on and on, not to mention Komui had conveniently hung it up in the dining room. She had patched up enough to sneak out of her medical ward, and had quickly slapped herself due to the many grammatical errors. Due to the slap, she keeled over and was not allowed to leave the ward for the rest of the week. What a pity. As another few days passed, her initial happiness faded, and her mood steadily traversed toward the negative spectrum.

Grey clouds covered the sky above the Order. The wind blew viciously, making the rain pour down in sheets, rather than in a normal down pour. The lights inside the place the Order called home where like points of hope for those who were madly clamoring to get back 'home' from missions.

In the cafeteria, there sat many Finders, Scientists, and some Exorcists, either chattering away or filling their empty stomachs with food cooked by Jerry, and since recently, Yuuki.

However, on that particular day, the girl was nowhere to be seen. She was not eating, cooking, reading, in her room, or training. No one had seen her since earlier that morning when she had an argument with Komui about sending her back into the field. Their argument had been loud enough for the sound to carry into the hallways. Not to mention, the hallways of the headquarters echoed. According to Reever, sometime after, she had left his office extremely angry. In the process; slamming the door so hard that Komui's stack of unfinished paperwork fell from his desk, and his photo of Lenalee subsequently fell from the wall and shattered. This induced a dramatic crying fit from Komui, who had already gotten over his recent disagreement though it occurred only moments before.

Her footsteps were quiet as she headed down a familiar corridor, one part of the castle that she knew well enough. _At least I know where my own room is._ She told herself. Yuuki held out her right hand, tightened it into a fist, and then loosened. They could not keep her here, not when other exorcists were fighting, _dying_. When she was at central where the most exciting part of her day consisted of running away from the matron. She would not head for the training room as she usually would if the rest of her friends were present; it was too empty, too devoid of life and laughter.

Usually, a chorus of yells would slowly trickle from that room due to Komui, Lavi, and Allen's disagreements, but these days, there was not even a Lenalee to scold them. The soft trickles of water from the ceiling, the lonesome dummies, and still targets gave off too much of an eerie feel. Thus Yuuki avoided the room altogether.

Not to mention, Yuuki was feeling increasingly guilty about the mishap with Komui. The yelling was accidental, she was really, really annoyed. Also, as of late, she had small problems regarding her mood and being cooped up all day. She would go down to the lab, apologize to Komui, and be done with her day.

Komui grinned widely when he saw Yuuki come down the stairs. She smiled back and walked over to meet him. Currently several people from the Science department were chatting excitedly.

"Hello." She paused and dared to ask if she knew why everyone was so happy.

"Ahem, Yuuki, we've decided to send you to China so you can meet up with Lenalee and the rest of the Cross group." At first, Yuuki's face was still, but after a few moments, a wide grim spread across it. She leapt up and tackled Komui into a hug.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this!"

"I hope I won't…." He laughed sheepishly; it would not be until after her departure that he would pay for his actions. "Your train leaves later today, you'll have to cross the mountains yourself though, so I suggest you find a guide once you get to the mountains. In addition, Allen, Lenalee, and some others will wait for you in the Port city of Tianjing." He dug around in his messy desk, withdrawing a map and wallet. Without a word, he set them on top of the folder containing Yuuki's mission details, and handed the stack to her. "Well? Get going!"

The moment the door closed behind her running form, he let out a loud sigh, and rubbed his temples. He could just feel the stress coming on. The letter in his hand, addressed from Malcolm Levellier himself. It was a notice, a warning, condemning. If it had not been such a serious letter, then it may have been amusing that high and mighty Levellier had spelled her name wrong.

_Dear Yoki,_

_It has come to our attention that you possess two fragments of Innocence. It has almost come to our knowledge that both of their names speak of false gods. If we may, we remind you that there is not a 'Goddess of Dawn' or 'Valkyrie' to name them as such would provoke heretic movements. We have already been kind enough to ignore that your Innocence leans toward heresy; the Vatican and I have already been lenient enough. We would advise that you change the names lest something unpleasant were to occur. _

_M.C. Levellier_

Leaves flutter upward into the pale blue sky, revealing signs that someone or something had smashed through the treetops and was inside the forest. The birds stared at the spot where the flyer had crashed, stunned cold at their action.

"Aaauuuuuhhhh…." The moan from the girl signaled that the landing had not gone as smoothly as she hoped. For starters, when they crashed into the trees, a fairly large tree branch whacked Yuuki in face. As a result, she tumbled into clustered area of trees. She managed to land in a soft patch of grass and miraculously did not fracture or break any bones. Again. At least her arm and leg were holding up, and Komui must have done a good job with her spine because the fall hurt, a lot.

"That wasn't too bright," Yuuki muttered to herself, rubbing her sore face.

"I should have remembered that diving straight from the sky and into the forest when you're about six hundred meters or more up high isn't the smartest thing to do." Nonetheless, she smiled.

Yuuki was an Exorcist again, and she had many missed battles to make up for. Forgetting where she was, she let out a lout whoop, only to remember there were Akuma nearby. Frazzled, she leapt back into the dense shrubbery, Aegis trailed lazily behind her. It was a shame that trains did not run through the mountains separating Asia and Europe, the up side was that she could admire the scenery on the way there.

A long scream resounded long the night, London was quiet, and no one noticed or cared about the beggar that had just died. His blood coagulating and pooling into an eerie pond of red on the frosty concrete. A woman stood before him, stigmata glinting along her forehead, a apathetic frown on her face. Her half lidded eyes lost their original green color, and faded to a smoky gold. Her brown hair had faded to a dull black. Even with blood from the gaping hole in the man she had just killed's stomach, everyone around paid no mind, some ever offered muted applause.

"Where am I?" Her eyes opened the rest of the way, but her facial expressions had yet to even change a bit. Usually, the group preferred to stay silent, and let the new addition figure it out for themselves; for this particular occasion, Road decided to step in. She donned an adorable smile, holding a hand out to the woman. When the woman took her hand in an awkward handshake, her golden eyes looked at her and (if even possible) smiled broader than before,

"You seem confused." Somehow she couldn't decide if that was a fact or opinion, "I've got some time for some Q and A."

"Q and A?" The woman's voice was soft, and unsure of herself.

"Questions and Answers." She replied throwing her that grin again, "Just because you finally decided to awaken doesn't give you any immunity here."

"I know, I've been asleep too long…" The woman replied softly, wringing her spindly hands together. "Well? Are you going to ask your question?"

"What's your name?"

"Acedia Hermia. I am the 11th Noah; Despair and Sloth."

OMAKE

White Stallions are "Genderists"

It was her first time ever visiting the headquarters. Her grandpa had told her that he only stopped by once every few years to drop off Innocence fragments, and pick up a few more for any disciples he might encounter. Technically, he did not want anyone to know about her, the specific details he wouldn't say. Thus, eight-year-old Yuuki kept her mouth firmly shut, and pretended to be nonexistent, silently slipping around in the halls. Her cover story was that she was a relative of one of the scientists. If anyone asked, her name was Milly Ashland, and her uncle worked in the science department. Yuuki's grandpa had told her a name of a close friend of his who would pretend to be her uncle is she was caught, but she had already forgotten it. Nevertheless, even if she was caught, at least she had had a chance to explore the castle. It was like a scene straight out of her fantasy storybooks. The only thing missing was a prince with pretty hair; complete with awesome powers, and a princess he could fall in love with. The mushy thoughts made her stop and sigh, grinning to herself.

She never felt so happy to be in a castle, glad to within the walls. Yuuki inhaled deeply and let out a sigh finding delight at the fresh air that slowly dissolved the knots of unease in her stomach. She gave a little squeal and spun around the hallways, pretending to battle fierce dragons on her white mare. Riding the classic white stallion would be sexist; who said mares could not be ridden into battle?

"What _are_ you doing?" The voice broke her from her little reverie; a choked sound came from her throat. Yuuki turned around slowly, not meeting the person's eyes. "I asked you a question."

"…Playing?"

"Can I join you? I think my pet could use another playmate." The blonde woman winked slightly, brushing strands of hair out of her eyes. A small animal sat on her shoulder. "I promise I won't tell that you're Yeeger's secret apprentice."

"So, you know my grandpa?" she asked as they walked in the corridors,

"That old man?" She, asked, smiling with gleaming brown eyes, "I'm surprised he's still alive since he's so old." Her devilish face again oddly mixed as she did an imitation of a hunched old man stroking an invisible beard that suddenly grew three feet down in three seconds.

"Old? Ha! I'm more fit then that _old man_." Yeeger said stepping around the corner after letting out a roar of laughter, his gray eyes twinkling as he gazed upon her. "Come on; let's get something to eat before we leave, hm. The cook here is amazing." He held his wrinkled hand out towards her; she took it, Yuki called over her shoulder to the woman, who was steadily following them towards the cafeteria.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Klaude Nyne, I'm a relatively new exorcist, and this is my partner Lao Shi Ming," she smiled, and gestured to her little monkey. "And you are? I'm guessing you're not really Milly Ashland," Yuuki looked toward her grandpa for a moment, waiting for his approval, when he nodded softly, she turned excitedly back to Klaude,

"I'm Yuuki, just Yuuki!"

"Why, hello Yuuki Just Yuuki, mind if I call you short stacks?"

Acedia – One of the original seven deadly sins. It represents a person who isn't concerned with their position in the world, and outright neglects his duties. He or she is also a person that makes it a point to discourage others, and 'drown in the sorrows of the world' without any clear reason. They are lazy to an unforgivable extent, and drown in their wrongdoings, and sadness.

Hermia –Combination of Aergia, the goddess of laziness, and Horme, the god of effort.

I love you guys, please read and review! Thanks a lot, you guys are awesome! :)

Your humbled writer,

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 50 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 40 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**Oh my gosh! I'm at almost 200 reviews! Thank you SOOO much! I've tried my best to make this chapter longer than the usual ones as a treat for that! **

**And as always, I'm EXTREMELY sorry for the late update! Its state test season, and with high school coming up next year, I don't have much time! DX'**

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

XLilum: Yes, I noticed me, and I'm super duper sorry. My computer is being messed up and kinda got rid of all the punctuation when I put it on fan fiction. But its still no excuse. So, sorry~! I hope you enjoy the chapter~! Thanks again, and please continue to read/review! :)

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Zinny-chan: Thanks :) Enjoy the chapter, and please continue to read even if the updates are slow.

_**Enjoy enjoy enjoy! :) You guys are the best readers I could ask for! Thanks so much!**_

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray man.

**SORRY! THIS IS THE UNEDITED VERSION! My beta isn't responding. Oh, and to celebrate the 1 year anniversary of **_**Wild Flowers **_**this chapter is slightly longer for your reading pleasure, enjoy~!**

Description of Valkyrie's Vigil (never got around to it, some of the abilities haven't been used yet, it's just what I've planned out thus far.) (And yes, I'm a jerk, this is all subject to change.)

Long range; takes the form of smallish wings (I'm thinking the not feathery/demonic type.)

Essence is contained in the ink drawing on her back. (Sort of like a tattoo)

Known Offensive Moves: (Someone tell me if these are lame, or too Mary sue) (PS You can submit more if you'd like.)

-Einherjar Level 1 (I thinks its pronounced Iron-ah-jars, but I'm not sure. Basically, in Norse mythology, Einherjars were fallen warriors, that took on spirit forms.)

Places artificial spirits into inanimate objects for a very limited time. Limited access of what the object can or can't do. Cannot change its make up. One makes it move according to orders. Only one at a time.

Example: Water doll: Makes water move on its own accord.

-Reginleif: Creates shapes from Einherjar animated objects.

-Sigrun: Can loosely manipulate the weather, so that different 'dolls' can be created.

Is this too mary sue? Leave a response with your answer.

I have another note to mention this chapter.

Over the last year writing this story (time sure goes by fast,) I have received compalints, and lot of dazzling reviews, but the real question is: Do the bulk of my readers want the story to stick around? I've noticed the number of reviewers has gone done rapidly, and I'm wondering if people are losing interest, or just have gotten sick of the story. Feel free to PM me, or review to give me your outlook on this. Thanks, it means a lot!

_A cry rose up, and reverberated around the empty forest. The occasional animal turned its head, but life went on. _

_A boy knelt on the grassy woodland floor, and a blackened figure sat opposite of him. Its eyes were devoid of life, and trails of saliva ran down its chin. Behind the two stood Tyki Mikk, hands each balancing a large moth, and a malicious smile plastered onto his egoistical face._

_Everything happened very quickly; the blackened figure dissolved, scattering ash like dust into the night air._

"_Oh, you're cheating boy A; course you wouldn't recognize me now..." Everything was fading fast, and their faces were too shadowed to be seen. The whole dream was beginning to blur, and blacken around the edges. The spectator struggled to see the conclusion._

"_What did you do to Suman, did you kill him?"_

"_Well course', he's my enemy." The words faded out for a bit, but it was still Tyki speaking. The small light in front of him told the spectator that he was probably smoking._

"_-nibalistic golems called 'tease', they look like butterflies cause the Earl thought it would be cool." _

"_-ot my power, this is." For a second, she thought he was going to prod the kneeling figure in the chest. Instead, Tyki's arm drew back, and plunged into the chest of the figure. "I could rip out of your heart if I wanted…but it'd get my glove dirty." A malicious laugh followed, but the sound started to fade again. His next audible words sent a rush of anger. _

"_Why'd I let that Yeeger live again? Ah yes…I needed a messenger…" From there on, only snippets of phrases could be heard._

"_You'll never find my master," the person now lay on the ground, one of their arms were missing. _

"_-now if that were-" _

"_-heart"_

"_nocence…"_

"_-o, just go."_

"_Thank you Timcampy."_

Her eyes snapped awake, the teetering branch she'd dozed off on wobbled dangerously, but Yuuki didn't fall off.

"Allen!" She shouted, to no one particular. Her brows knit worriedly. Surely it was just a dream.

She reached into her hair, where Aegis usually took naps. Today in particular, she seemed heavier. Picking the golem up but its circular body, Yuuki brought it up to her face. Her eyes widened considerably, and she screamed.

"You're not Aegis!" Timcampy's tiny form lay snoring in her upturned palms. Her shout had woken Aegis, who leaned down from her roost in Yuuki's hair, she leaned a wing down near her face to show Yuuki that she was still in her hair. "Why aren't you with Allen?"

Aegis had taken up roost in her hair, shrinking to the size of a small hairpin. The only sign of life emitting from it was the occasional snore or twitch. Why an electronic golem could even do that was beyond her.

"Why haven't they contacted me yet?" Yuuki murmured scratching her chin thoughtfully. "Allen was supposed to use Timcampy to tell me where to meet up when I reached Xi'an, yet I already passed the port town they were in." Frustrated, she mussed her hair, causing Aegis to let out an indignant squeak. Timcampy slumbered on, not even peeking out of her coat hood.

They traveled for a few hours more, and Yuuki concluded that they were almost to a city. The thick, green foliage of the bamboo forests were starting to thin, which was a welcome change, for the uneven forest floor was starting to make her feet hurt. There was one thing that was bothering her; a lot of the trees had been snapped apart in some areas. Like something had come charging through. She mentally noted to look out for any approaching Akuma. A crackling noise caught he attention. For the second time that day, Yuuki jumped-surprised by the noise- and screamed.

"-nalee, did you hear that?" The static was pretty bad, "Lavi, please be quiet, I'm trying to get in contact with Yuuki, she can help us find Allen."

"Lenalee? Lavi?" Yuuki said to the communication device on Aegis. "Is that you?"

"Where are you?"

"I'm in a clearing in the forest; it looks like something's come charging through here."

"Can you activate your Automated Electronic Golem Intelligence System's tracking device?" Yuuki did as such, and a quiet beeping noise could then on be heard from Aegis's body.

It was long, till Lavi and Lenalee came into view riding on a large hammer. They touched down a few meters away, and rushed to meet her. Though it was to be expected, the two of them look like they were in terrible condition. Lenalee ran forward and hugged her, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Allen's gone missing!"

Yuuki sucked in a breath, her eyes widened, and her mouth formed an 'o.' Allen couldn't be dead. Could he?

"Timcampy, can you show up what happened?" Roughly, Yuuki desperately shook Timcampy. He projected a series of images, ones that were deathly similar to the dream she'd had not twelve hours ago.

They had found the spot where Allen died. It was bloody, and the foliage was disturbed in some places.

At first, Lenalee was the one to break down, Lavi stood emotionlessly, and Yuuki simply looked away and fought tears. They stayed for a bit, looking for his body, but Aegis crackled to life.

"Yuuki, Lenalee, Lavi, meet at the dock where Anita is, there's a messenger."

"Who's Anita?" An eyebrow popped up on Yuuki's face, illustrating confusion.

"No time to explain." The trio boarded the somehow-flying hammer, and flew off towards the port city.

At the dock, a man named Wong told them that Allen's body was at the Asia Black Order building, and he was dead. Their worst fears had been confirmed. The only good news he had to offer was that another exorcist would be joining their group, and they would stay the night in the port town.

She had yet to receive some sort of explanation.

At the time, anything would have settled her erratic heartbeat. To calm her nerves. Some sort of comfort, some sort of sign that the whole thing was a sick joke.

It was easy to place the blame.

Could she manage the weight of her world?

She had yet to see, if she couldn't, it could be read up in a book.

The answer will come.

That she was sure of.

Until then, waiting was inevitable.

Later that night, everyone-even the ship crew- settled into a local inn, the exorcists each got their own room, whereas everyone else shared.

"Why did it have to be Allen? What has he ever done wrong?" Lenalee cried, banging a fist onto her knee.

"They're Noah, the things they do are evil…" Yuuki murmured in response, not even lifted her head from its perch atop her folded arms. The trio had been sitting in the room since dinner a few hours ago, occasionally sniffing back tears, and in Lavi's case, reading.

Yuuki had promised that she wouldn't cry again, not for anyone. But, somehow, the people who'd help her back to her feet after her Master Yeeger's death had whittled their way into her hear.

Stunned by the sudden turn of events, full of regret and remorse, Yuuki couldn't will herself to stay strong. Pain tugged at her heartstrings, almost as terrible as the ones that had torn her to pieces before. The agony that she had promised that she would never feel again. To never befriend again, to never wear your heart on your sleeve again, to keep it only for yourself. Yuuki tried to ignore the face that nagged her conscious, the sound of his soft laughter. Before she could register what had happened, tears were pooling in the corners of her eyes.

Yuuki felt it coming, feeling it bubble up to her throat threatening to getaway. She clasped her hand firmly over her mouth, and her eyes felt wet. A muffled sob escaped and Yuuki closed her eyes. Her back slid down against its smooth exterior until she felt herself pressed against the door, her legs stretched out in front of her as she sat upon the floor. Lenalee went to sit with her. Lavi only sat back in his seat, and donned a vacant expression.

Lenalee's incessant crying continued, even after Yuuki had stopped. Lavi had long since slipped out of the room, leaving the hall door open.

"We can't cry anymore," Yuuki stood, dusting off her clothes apathetically. Immediately swiveling her way and standing up, Lenalee's furious eyes met her's. A hand shot out from her side, bringing swiftly across Yuuki's face. Her face snapped to the side, at first, only shock registered, but was followed by a yelp; a growing reddish spot appearing on her cheek.

"How can you say that? Allen is _gone. _Our friend is _dead! _Mister Wong even said so!" The brows of Lenalee's usually kind face were knitted, and her whole expression portrayed outrage. An accusing finger was pointed toward Yuuki.

"We can't be sad, he wouldn't want this."

"How would you know what he would want?"

Lenalee tromped out of Yuuki's room, and slammed door behind with a large 'bang.'

Sighing, Yuuki went over to the bed, and sat down with a huff.

Yuuki leaned back against the headboard and drew her legs up to her chest, embracing them tightly. The pain in her mind could not compare to the feelings welled up inside for the sake of Allen. In silence, reclined over her limbs, she relinquished her silence and cried. For her friend, her sadness, for the guilt that manifested inside of her and tore her insides to pieces, to the loneliness that filled the room.

Reality was truly dreadful. Had she never contemplated someone else forever disappearing from her life? She didn't, and because of it, she never once worried about the inevitable. Her childlike naivety had prevented her from thinking about painful truths; that another friend would leave, another would die, and either she'd be the last one left, or be just one other that would perish. The truth had finally registered, and just as it had with her master, pain was washing over her being.

The tears continued running down her cheeks as she opened her mouth to breath now that her nose was too congested and even sniffling didn't help the cause. Embarrassed with herself to be crying like a child, she would relentlessly wipe away the stream of tears as they fell with the back of her sleeve.

"You idiot, you promised me you wouldn't go and get killed…"

Yuuki awoke to someone violently shaking her body; her eyes squinted, and adjusted to the artificial light, for it was the middle of the night. Due to her crying the evening before, Yuuki's eyes were puffy, and it hurt to look into the brightness. But eventually she fully opened them. She rubbed some sand from the corners.

The person was Lavi, and he wore a worried scowl.

"What is it?" Yuuki yawned softly, and sat up to address him.

"It's Lenalee, she left this morning to try to get to the Asia Branch and see Allen!" He dropped a note onto her lap, one which Yuuki's quivering hands picked up. A numb feeling was beginning to spread about on her being.

_Dear Everyone,_

_I need to see Allen. I'm going to the Asia Branch to see him; I need to make sure it's true._

_I'm sorry. I'll be back before the day ends._

_-Lenalee_

The note crumpled in her hands, Yuuki's brows furrowed, and with a determined expression, she turned toward Lavi.

"I'll go find her. Where is the Asia branch?"

"It right outside the city of Beijing. To get in, you have to first go into town, and get a guide to lead you in."

For the good part of an hour, Yuuki flew as fast as she could to the town about thirty miles north. The weather had taken a turn for the worst, he wind, and the pelting of water droplets of her face chilling her body, but not her soul. For that was already cold. Finally, when she arrived in town, she set off to find the guide, or hopefully Lenalee.

Rain dripped from her forehead and off her chin, cascading like fallen tears and cooling her skin. Blinking the water from her eyes, Yuuki kept walking, puddles splashing beneath her feet. Dark huddles of people seemed to suffocate her as she walked past, she could feel the heat of the other bodies pressing against her despite the frigid coldness. Occasionally, she called Lenalee's name. With no response. No one however, looked at her. Their chins tucked into their coats as they scurried away like cockroaches avoiding the light. Craning her head, Yuuki took in the murky sky, barely making out the lighted windows of the buildings that seemed to flicker like candlelight from where she stood. Small buildings cast long shadows in the evening light, encasing her in its giant shadow. For the past hour, she'd been walking around, trying to find Lenalee with no luck. It seemed that every moment, she passed the same people, and the same building.

The world around her began to look as if it was melting, all her surrounds blurred into a mix of gray and dots of light as lanterns were switched on inside buildings. Yuuki nearly stumbled as everything stopped, buildings remained upright and stiff, and the rain continued to pour untouched by time. Yuuki glanced around, finding herself in an unfamiliar part of town. Before she could do anything whether she would have voiced her curiosity or moved on her own, Yuuki felt a wave of warmth radiating, suddenly she couldn't help but to squint as something bright blocked her view. Yuuki gasped and angled to run. To her alarm, her legs remained where they were, at a causal stance, and after a frantic push with her arms, the weight that held her where she was lifted. Yuuki crashed to the ground. 'This has to be an illusion,' she thought.

It was then, that everything melted away, and the buildings were replaced by grass and trees.

"Yuuki~!" Road Kamelot's golden eyes peered at her. "It's been too long~! Did'ya like my illusion?" She spoke in a singsong voice. Angry, Yuuki flung her off.

"Get away from me, Noah." Immediately, Valkyrie's Vigil was released, and familiar warmth settled on her figure.

"Awwww, don't be like that," Road pouted, Yuuki only glared back. Road proceeded to hold her hand, and shake it up and down as if giving a handshake. Yuuki once again slapped it away.

"Road, what am I going to tell your father if you fraternize with that piece of scum." A woman's voice resounded in the clearing. She wore a long black dress with heels. It was obvious from the stigmata on her forehead that she was a Noah.

"But, look, I was just about to tell her about Tyki messin' up Allen-kun, see?"

"I think she knows, besides I was there, I'll tell her." Road continued to pout, and went to stand by the woman's side. The tall lady tossed something to Yuuki, it landed with a small thud on the ground.

"You bastard…" though she wanted to restrain it, in the moment she was incapable. The words escaped her lips, dripping venom with each syllable. The hate inside her welled up as she saw the dented crest that had been thrown to the floor like trash. The name _Allen Walker_ soiled with dirt, and smeared with blood that could've belonged to the person who'd worn it. A long crack split it almost in two. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Yuuki registered a similar situation. When Tyki Mikk had shown her the button off her master's coat. Somehow possible, seeing Allen's crest in the same manner was just as excruciating.

"Well, see ya, Yuuki!" Road turned, and stepped through a large door that had appeared behind her. "Your friend is right over there." Leaning next to a tree, bound by shadowy ropes, was Lenalee. Her face covered in scratches, and coat in tatters.

"Still here I see," The Noah directed a hard, apathetic stare her way. "I have to give you credit, I expected you to flee…like the coward you exorcists are." The place where the Noah had touched her was beginning to bruise. As if her very touch were poisonous.

Her weight shifted, at first so still like a mountain, when she moved Yuuki kicked back in alarm, and rolled in the grass cradling her bruised hand.

The grass crunched softly under the Noah's feet as she sauntered forward, to then pause when Yuuki was able to see the white of her eyes and she could see hers. The woman stood still, dull gold eyes observing her next kill. The light rain let small droplets accumulate on her lashes.

"Hear me, and remember this," the Noah stated, with a heavy exhale. "Remember the face of your killer. I am the 11th Noah. Acedia." From all around her, shadows seemed to crowd, and form small wormlike creatures.

Scared. Yuuki was so scared but clenched her teeth, not allowing her expression to show it. But now her mouth was starting to hurt. "I don't care, I'm not leaving without Lenalee…" teal eyes closing, her head slumped forward with another wave of weary dizziness, and her dark hair curtained her features. The voice of her master now resonated in her head, and like a medium her words issued from Yuuki's bruised mouth.

"The ones who abandon their comrades are trash," told Yuuki, a determined expression setting onto her face. Her fists clenched.

"Then take your foolish beliefs to the grave." The worms burst forth like water from a broken dam. Wrapping around her midsection, and arms, they dragged her up to a high branch on one of the nearby trees, the only one that wasn't bamboo. Higher and higher, until they were on the top branch maybe twelve stories above the ground. Acedia simply rose up on a platform made of shadows themselves.

Yuuki let out an indignant cry, struggling, and screaming in pain as the black ropes constricted her wings, drawing blood in some places.

"Let me tell you something, little one. The only way to harm us Noah…" She smiled eerily, without showing her teeth. "To tear us limb from limb, and burn our hearts. Even so, we will return."

"No!" Breaking her left wing free, Yuuki let Acedia be pushed off the tree that she was dangling on.

What was strange was, that the Noah didn't even try to save herself. She fell back first into the ground with a sickening thud. It was only a few minutes later that Yuuki allowed herself to float down to the ground.

She swallowed bile at the sight before her.

Every organ, every bone seemed to have slammed in on her back from the inside and hit the hard cobblestone simultaneously. Along with every organ that ruptured or tore, not a bone was left intact. Acedia's body was flat on its back, head twisted to the side and frozen eyes wide in her skull, as if frightfully aware of the intense flow of blood bubbling from her skull that had cracked like an egg on impact. Limbs tossed this way and that marionette-style; the Noah was absolutely broken.

A few moments passed, at first disgust and horror shook Yuuki's form. Turning to bush, she couldn't help but vomit. The sour, putrid liquid leaving her stomach, and the contents of her dinner smeared on the woodland floor. Wiping her lips with her sleeves, she peered toward the body from beneath her hood.

"Sh-she's dead," Yuuki pronounced slowly, recoiling to the sight before her.

It happened very suddenly.

A golden eye tremulous in its fractured eye socket swiveled up to stare at the crowd. Too suddenly the young woman's splattered body inflated with a wet gasp. Acedia lay aware on the bloodstained cobblestone, gaping into the gray of evening mist that hushed the bright emerald of the nearby trees. Not one bit wailing in pain, her body that should have stayed ruined after that drop now stirred. At first the movements were minimal, a finger twitching here and there as nerves retouched, smile reaching her face. Soon followed her mangled limbs that bent out of their impossible knots and breaks to realign. Yuuki scooted backwards on her hands and knees in bewilderment from the symphony of bones, joints, organs, muscle tissue, and flesh spontaneously - if not righting themselves, regenerating.

In about a single minute the Noah who called herself Acedia stood up to stretch. With the last kinks and pops out, she caught her bearings and swiveled her head to meet Yuuki's eyes.

"Huh, considering that fall," she sighed while peering back to the area above them then back to the shivering girl on the floor, "not bad."

About to walk away from the scene, she yielded to the sound of stuttering voices. "H-h-how did you d-do that? You fell!" The disgusted girl knelt wide-eyed, wide-mouthed, and bewildered.

Acedia with her fingers couldn't comb out the blood-clumped knots in her black hair, so instead tucked the stray locks behind an ear as she tossed an empty gaze over her shoulder to the girl kneeling on the floor.

"I was born to fall and get back up again, but I don't know if I can say the same for you." Slowly, like a panther stalking its prey, she crept forward, eyes flashing.

But something very peculiar happened. About four paces away, she stopped. Her eyes widened just a fraction, before the Noah that once stood erect and proud doubled over in pain.

"Go away, not now. Why?" She screamed, face contorted in agony, feet stomping the damp soil. For a moment, she grew still, and with a pair of green eyes, she whispered only one word. "Go."

Not needing to be told twice, Yuuki took to the sky, only stopping to pick up Lenalee. It was terribly difficult to fly with so much added weight, but somehow Yuuki pushed herself to return to the inn.

If only they'd known the presence that was watching the, a person whose malicious smirk grew wider by the minute.

"Tell them to send the Akuma after the boat."

Thanks for reading, I love hearing feedback/comments, so please read and review~! :)

Till next time,

-Z.

is a long one, maybe 50 or so chapters. I hope you readers decide to support me and my writing. Please review! If you find any errors, please leave a message in the review box, and I'll get to fixing it ASAP! :)

Oh yeah, after realizing just how _extremely slow_ the plot is moving, I've decided that this story will probably be longer than 40 chapters by the time it finishes, and if I feel like it, maybe a sequel. :) Oh, and expect this to be a story where the relationship progresses very slowly seeing as Allen and Yuuki are both really dense and naive. You get my point right?

**Oh my gosh! Wild Flowers is only 5 reviews away from 200 reviews! :) Thank you SOOO much! I've tried my best to make this chapter longer than the usual ones as a treat for that! **

Hello to my beloved readers, you guys are SO awesome, and I hope you'll continue to read and review to Wild Flowers even if the updates are kinda slow.

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Whew, that was a lot of reviews. Thanks so much you guys!

_**Enjoy enjoy enjoy! :) You guys are the best readers I could ask for! Thanks so much!**_

Disclaimer: Don't own D. Gray man.

**SORRY! THIS IS THE UNEDITED VERSION! My beta isn't responding, so I'm thinking she might be on vacation or something. Sooo, once she responds, I'll see if she can continue to beta this story. Sorry for the inconvenience! And, I haven't spoken a lot English in like...two-ish months cause i was in Asia, sooo sorry for the drop in quality...**

~oOo~

Drip, drip, drip…

Allen's eyelids felt as if they had been stitched together. He imagined the skin tearing as he peeled them slowly open, but didn't see anything. Only faint blotches of color here and there. His first thought was that he wasn't in that bamboo grove anymore. The taste of the copper blood in his mouth was washed away and the starry night sky he vaguely remembered where replaced with a hard gray sky. As he recalled such dark memories, Allen felt strange as if he was remembering a distant dream.

His eyes cracked open again, only slightly, allowing a new flood of dimness to enter his blackened world. It took a few moments, but the blurry outlines of an IV drip, and a heart monitor came into view. Irritatingly, creating a constant beeping noise. He only wanted to sleep.

He opened his mouth slowly, and took a shaky breath, the air rushed into him. It was like the shock of breaking through a layer of ice, almost as if his lungs had grown weak from minimal usage. The muscles around his mouth screamed in agony as they moved.

His ears strained for any signs of life, anyone to ask what in the world was going on. But, the only noise he heard was the steady beeps from the heart monitor, and the IV drip. Dejected, he cast his eyes once more on the impossible gray above him.

Finally, thoughts came to him, like soft droplets of rain falling onto an outstretched palm. The first of which was that he wasn't dead.

His legs and arm felt heavy, and slightly numb. The other side of his body seemed impossibly empty, as if his left arm had taken a vacation, and left only air in its place. He chuckled softly to himself. That was impossible.

The next droplet to land on his consciousness was that his upper torso felt awfully exposed, as if someone had taken his coat and shirt. This was once again, improbable. He was probably just experiencing hallucinations from lying in the grove for too long.

_The grove!_ He abruptly attempted to sit up, only for a severe spasm of agony to wreck his torso. Dejected, he fell back in to the bed.

What had happened? Tyki Mikk, Fallen one, innocence… Thoughts rushed through his head, the small trickles of thoughts falling in to his palm had magnified into a river, rushing through his mind, sending cold realization throughout his being.

Where is my innocence?

With his muscles screaming in agony, he used his heavily bandaged arm to reach over to his left side, hoping to feel the familiar scaled skin of his hand. He grasped air. Allen gritted his teeth and tried again, once again feeling nothing. Growing desperate, he attempted to sit up, feeling an enormous onslaught of pain, tearing through every fiber of his being. Letting out a strangled cry, Allen fell back toward the ground. Which, as it turned out, wasn't the ground at all, but a small bed.

Looking up emptily, he realized that the gray sky above wasn't a sky at all, but a ceiling. The large rock slabs formed a flat roof over his current resting place.

The grassy clearing he could hardly recall wasn't pressing against his back but was a mattress. Allen was tucked into a linen-sheeted bed with metal headboards, the sheets pulled up to his chest to keep out the cold.

Though not meaning to, a single tear rolled down his cheek, the salty droplet sent a stinging sensation on the cut on his cheek. But, that pain felt like nothing to losing that innocence.

The frustration hurt his brain. The despair was drowning him, pulling him under, and in this unknown place, Allen knew that resurfacing would be difficult to near impossible. To be without a reason to live, and without his friends to hold him up. Would those people even be his friends once they found that he lost his purpose?

He felt like he was drowning. What was the purpose of his life now?

He opened his mouth, wanting to let out a bellow of agony. But, only a soft rasping reached his ears.

For a while after, nothing happened. He could only listen to the irritatingly repetitive beeps from the heart monitor. Allen built up his resolve after he counted the 667th beep. Slowly, he crawled from bed, his muscles cried out, but his mind drowned them all out. All he could think about was getting outside, back to his friends. Where they needed him.

For a while, he slipped away, drawn under by the slow accumulation of sedatives.

~oOo~

_The reflective black surface lay before him. The occasional movement stirring the dark surface, sending ripples of white across the ebony expanse. It took a moment, to realize it was a lake. Pillars stuck out in every which direction from its surface. The smiling moon mirrored a white sphere in the dead center. _

_Allen, though from a younger time, stood at the bank. Staring down into the shore, even though there was nothing to see. There was no mimicked version of himself looking back, instead an inky black figure, startlingly noticeable, even though he was the same color as the water. His eyes mere gaping white holes, while his mouth a silvery quarter moon shape. Though the figure was most definitely not himself, it copied each of his movements, raising a white outlined arm whenever Allen did, or tilting his head when Allen did._

"_Who are you?" His voice, though soft, echoed across the area, the sounds of the waves lapping across his feet grew silent. "Where am I?"_

_Almost nonchalantly, the figure shrugged. But, gestured to something behind him. _

_He found the same scene as the one that was not behind him. However in inversed colors, what was black before was now red, what was white before was now black. But, the thing that caught his eye, was a figure sitting atop one of the pillars. Its face was covered by its hands, shoulder heaving, as if crying. Two large wings drooped behind it. _

_The figure sat like a bird with a broken wing. Occasionally, a glint of white would drop off one of the wings, and land softly in the water below. Creating a small white section in the red lake, which was quickly overtaken. Like drops of blood soaking into a white piece of cloth. _

"_Is that Yuuki?" The young Allen wondered, squinting to try and get a better look, he craned his neck upwards to look at the pillar._

_It was as if she heard him. All of a sudden, her head snapped up, she looked over at him, her expression neutral, yet two trails of tears slowly making their way down her face. She tilted her head to the side, staring as if not believing her eyes. _

_Out of the blue, she started to tilt backwards; Allen rushed forwards, as if he could actually do anything about it. _

_It was then that he saw her lips move. It wasn't as if he could actually read lips, but at that moment, it was as if everything was moving in slow motion. _

_He didn't catch all of it, only one ominous word. _

_Beginning…_

_Yuuki continued to fall backwards, until she was in free fall to the water. Right before, her wings exploded into a shower of white. She hit the murky surface only milliseconds later, yet not sound of splashing water came. _

_In the deafening silence of the lake, he could hear her say something softly._

_Yuuki might've said something more, but just as before, he caught only one word of what she whispered._

_Beginning…_

~oOo~

"It's sort of intimidating at first…" Acedia tore her focus away from the group of Noah seated at the table around her; instead, she looked to Road for a second opinion, who looked at her with a mischievous smile.

"That's half the fun, you'll get used to it fast." The little girl smiled a bit, twirling a long dessertspoon in her hand.

She nodded a little at this, still taking in on where she was.

The Earl had yet to speak, so most of the awakened Noah were busy shoving their faces. Road included.

"Damn you!" A shout made her swivel her gaze to Skin, who was indignantly pounding the table. "I like sweets! Which of you idiots made me this?" He sent to plate crashing to the ground, the resounding shattering noise made everyone else look to him too. He proceeded to leap off his seat, and beat one of the Akuma maids furiously. As if it were a commonplace sight, the rest of the room's occupants simply turned back to their meals, and tried to tune the sound of crunching metal out of their heads.

"Acedia, Road, come here." The Earl stood abruptly, his large pot-belly brushing the table upwards. He beckoned for the two of them to follow him into the antechamber. Waiting for his two followers to join him, he sat down at the organ bench.

"It seems that a child is awakening." The Earl just continued to play his organ, his fingers moving faster and faster. "It also seems to be within one of our enemies."

"Really? Maybe then he'll stay with us!" Road said happily as she jumped up, unperturbed by the Earl's frightful melody. She ran circles around Acedia's dress, twisting the flowing ribbons around the skirt.

"Maybe so, but don't get your hopes up. He's only a child; he has yet to fully understand his position." Acedia informed her; The Earl stood up from the bench and walked towards the doorway.

"We'll, when those exorcists chase him out, I'll take him in with open arms." Road smiled, spreading her arms to emphasize as she followed the Earl.

"I have work to do now, Road. Why don't you go see what Tyki is doing?" The Earl said suddenly as he looked at a pocket watch that appeared from nowhere.

"Aw, do you have to?" Road whined.

"Yes, sorry my dear Road. I'll play with you when I get back, okay?"

"Ugh, fine." She said as she went through the doorway and down the halls. All the while towing Acedia with her. "Tyki!" She shouted.

As she ran down the endless hallways, she looked in each and every door. As she threw herself through one door, catching the door frame to keep from falling, she ran face first into Tyki, who at the time was currently leaving, or trying to leave the room.

"I'm gonna need a level 3 or two." She declared, "I'm gonna go hunting." A wide smirk crossed her face, and her eyes glinted mischievously.

~oOo~

Omake: Cooties

_THUD!_

She fell on her two feet, rubbing her head; the other kid did the same to himself. Groaning with pain, he spoke harshly on how clumsy and careless the girl was, the moment both kids looked up, the boy gasped.

The boy gasped, crawling back using both pairs of his hands and feet, putting the confused girl on a difficult spot. A loud, long scream was heard all around school as all the kids stopped what they were doing, wondering what the commotion was all about.

"GAHH! I've touched a girl! Oh no!" yelled the boy, backing out further from Yuuki. "I've got the cooties! GAHH! It's the end of the world! I'm going to DIE!"

The other boys around him followed suit, screaming around when the 'infected' boy began chasing after them. 'Cooties' and 'disease' were the only words ever mentioned around the area.

Over the course of the rest of the day, the two other young boys, began avoiding either Yuuki or the boy from catching the cooties.

On the other hand, there was another young girl, who wasn't as fearful opposite gender, but still was still unwilling to get within a foot of Yuuki.

She and the boy (Whose name was revealed to be Deven by a passing scientist, who was a little kinder to Yuuki) were seen as the 'origins' of the entire cootie outbreak and whenever Yuuki or Drew visited anywhere; the three other children would cover their mouths and run away.

Concerned with the commotion going on, Yuuki tried showing some concern to the other guy, who was grim and upset with everything that's happening.

"Are you all right, I'm-"

"You happy now? All my friends aren't playing with me anymore. You cootie-filled girl." Deven snared, pushing the girl's hand away from him. "Arg…now I have more cooties. Oh…it's the end of the world~ THE END!" Deven screamed hysterically before running away from the girl after school.

When she finally meandered back to her master's room, she found him sitting at his small desk, filling out mission reports for the past year.

"What's wrong, Yuuki?" He asked, looking up from his favorite fountain pen.

"Yeah, what's the matter squirt?" One of the exorcists that worked under Yeeger walked in, balancing three plates of spaghetti, and shut the door with his foot. She secretly noted that his name was Ike. She made a mental note to stay away from her mentors, lest they contracted deadly cooties as well.

"Well…I didn't make any friends here." Said a crestfallen Yuuki, picking up the fork from her plate.

Yeeger patted her hair softly. "Don't be so upset, we won't be here long anyway. Perhaps it was for the best." He reassured the girl with his grandfather-ly demeanor.

"What'ya do today Ike?"

The older boy shrugged, his only words were 'the director got a hold of me, and gave my weapon a tune up. Don't ask why.' He cringed, as if it were a traumatic experience that is, before continuing to inhale his ravioli.

She asked for permission to read after she was done with dinner. Her grandfather agreed, so Yuuki made her way down to the library. She scanned her way to the children's stories, and pulled out a dramatic romance novel.

"_Oh, my dear husband! There's something…I need to tell you. I don't think I'll be able to get this out of my mind again. I'm with child. You are the father of this child." The princess told her beloved prince. Her eyes sparkling in the sunlight like pearls. She placed a dainty, manicured hand on her swollen stomach. Her long curly, golden hair looked like a river of sunshine; after all she was the fairest in the land. (_Yuuki noted that the writer had managed to craft a cast of way-too-perfect characters.)

"_Really? Oh my beloved this is such good news!" The prince picked her up and spun her in a circle. "What shall we name it?" The handsome prince's pearly white smile radiated like a miniature sun. _(Which Yuuki noted strangely because everyone knew that in medieval times, no one brushed their teeth.)

Yuuki was speechless and her eyes wide open at the thought of having to carry Deven's child at such a young age. She was only seven, yet she has to carry the burden all by herself. No wonder he was so mad at her, it was too late for her or him to stop this from happening. All has been done; Yuuki and Deven are going to take care of their kid.

She had trouble sleeping for the next few nights, the thought of babies, cooties and parents clouded her mind. To make matters worse, she had difficulty paying attention during Yeeger's short classes, much to his annoyance. The alienation she had to face from the few children that lived in the HQ added more fuel to the fire; no one was willing to sit next to her during lunch, not even her master, or Ike, because they both had better things to do.

The crisis became larger when Yuuki was haunted with the same nightmare she experienced every single night. She dreamed her tummy was getting bigger and bigger, and her grandfather and Ike ignored her when she approached them. She could not take this any longer. She must get this awful truth out of her chest. The only thing that's stopping her is if her grandfather or Ike were ready to take this painful truth.

The start wasn't going right for her, falling down from her bed as soon as she found herself at the edge.

"Oh…a bad start. Getting up at the wrong side of the bed, literally. I doubt Master or Ike could take it. I wonder if the baby's all right, I have to be more careful from now on."

This is it. The moment she had been waiting for. She tip-toed down the stairs, only to have her plan backfired when Yeeger found her making her way down to the Cafeteria of the HQ.

"What are you doing up there? Do you want to use the washroom?" Yeeger asked, bringing sunny side-up eggs to a table as he spoke. Soon Yuuki joined her family at a table; a pair of fried eggs eyed the girl suspiciously on her plate. While the bacon mouth smirked evilly up at her.

Yeeger quickly made an intelligent guess, by the discouraged expression on his dear 'grand-daughter's' face. "Your hair's messy at the back." He pointed it out, combing down the ruffled hair from Yuuki. She blushed, redder than the apples she found at the grocery store. Her unsettled teal eyes gave away her anxiety; it was too late to back out now.

"Well, I haven't been sleeping well lately."

Yeeger's head cocked to the side. "Is there anything wrong?"

Yuuki nodded her head dutifully. "The thing is…where should I start?"

"You can take your time. I'm all ears, so is Ike." He turned to Ike, munching on his eggs, who had his gaze trained on her.

"You see, I…have the cooties." She began, her start went off nervously. She clutched her shorts tightly as she went on. "I accidentally touched a boy a few days ago, and hence I contacted the cooties." The more she spoke; her tears started trickling out of her eyes. "I don't know and I'm so confused. I'm going to have a baby with Deven."

There was a long silence hanging across the room. _Any minute now_, Yuuki expected a long lecture from her father, followed by a slap. Instead, Yeeger and Ike began chuckling, not before cracking into a huge laughter as an amused Yeeger found himself unable to control his emotions, Ike however, was rolling around, and pounding his fist on the bench under the table and it was difficult to see whether he was actually laughing, crying out in anger, or jesting at the girl.

"Hahahahahaha…very funny, Yuuki. Very funny." Yeeger slapped himself in the face and torso, taking control of his laughter before saying anything else. "There's nothing to be worried about, I'm a hundred percent sure that you're not carrying a baby inside your tummy. That's all I can say. Good one, I have no idea you can pull off such a joke at us."

"You talked about cooties, right? I think you mean hair lice."

"Hair lice?"

"Nothing too important." Ike sniffed out his chuckles as he spoke.

Yuuki blinked. "So, I'm not pregnant?" She smiled as she confirmed this fact into her head. "I'M NOT PREGNANT!" She jumped with joy and got out of her seat, running around the room with all her troubles wiped off her mind. There was still one problem bothering her. "So, Grandpa, where do babies come from?"


End file.
